


The Road Less Traveled

by Jestana



Category: Tin Man (2007)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, F/M, M/M, Multi, female!Ambrose, male!Adora
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-29
Updated: 2016-03-30
Packaged: 2018-05-29 23:29:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 65,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6398620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jestana/pseuds/Jestana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p><a href="http://lionille.livejournal.com/267710.html">The Curious Case of the Mysteriously Missing Lady-in-Waiting In Training</a> and <a href="http://andrealyn.livejournal.com/1135516.html">The Path Not Taken</a> both gave me the idea of writing a fic where Ambrose/Glitch is born a woman and stays one. *grin*</p>
    </blockquote>





	1. Rocky Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> [The Curious Case of the Mysteriously Missing Lady-in-Waiting In Training](http://lionille.livejournal.com/267710.html) and [The Path Not Taken](http://andrealyn.livejournal.com/1135516.html) both gave me the idea of writing a fic where Ambrose/Glitch is born a woman and stays one. *grin*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Royal Advisor and Captain of the Mystic Man's protection detail do _not_ get along.

"We really do think this is the best course of action, Majesty." The Royal Advisor gazed at the Queen of the O. Z. with earnest brown eyes, brushing back the black curls that had tumbled into them. "As distasteful as it may seem."

The Queen nodded absently, one elegant hand resting on the swell of her abdomen. "I have been considering the situation since you left to consult with the Mystic Man and I agree with your assessment of the situation."

"Yes, Majesty." Relief flashed briefly in the brown eyes. "Shall I begin making arrangements?"

Violetta shook her head. "It can wait. Something is troubling you, my friend. What is it?"

"Nothing, Majesty." Long, pale fingers worried at the hem of the opposite sleeve.

Lavender eyes met brown with a stern glance. "You never were a good liar, Amber Rose. Is it the Tin Man again?"

"Wyatt Cain was his usual insufferable self," Amber Rose reported, burgundy skirt swishing around her booted ankles. "He actually asked how one woman could be considered adequate protection for the Queen of the O. Z."

Slender fingers hid an amused smile that would only have annoyed the irate advisor. "What did you do?"

"I demonstrated that I was fully capable of protecting you," she answered with a shrug and a smug look. "On him."

The Queen shook her dark head in fond amusement. "How did he react to that?"

"Insisted I'd simply caught him off guard." The expression on the advisor's face made her opinion abundantly clear. "I offered to demonstrate again, this time with him aware."

"Did he accept?" Violetta was curious almost in spite of herself.

Amber Rose smirked this time. "He did and I still had him flat on his back in less than ten seconds."

"I hope you didn't do any permanent damage." She couldn't quite keep her amusement from lacing through her voice.

Looking quite pleased with herself, Amber Rose shook her head. This was followed by a noise of annoyance as her black curls refused to stay in place and tumbled across her forehead once more. She pushed them back impatiently. "Not unless you count his punctured male ego."

"I hope you're speaking metaphorically," Ahamo commented with amusement as he entered the room and crossed to his wife's side, leaning down to kiss her cheek.

Amber Rose averted her eyes politely when Violetta cupped her husband's cheek and kissed him warmly before he could straighten up. "Yes, it was purely metaphorical, my love."

"I thought so." Ahamo straightened up and smiled fondly at the Royal Advisor. It was thanks to her intervention that his marriage to the queen had even taken place.

She returned the smile and quickly excused herself, recognizing the glint in the King Consort's blue eyes. He had plans for his wife and they didn't include Amber Rose. Part of her wishing for happiness like theirs, she carried on with her duties.

* * *

"What's bugging you, Wyatt?" Adair asked, watching the Tin Man enter and all but slam the door of their apartment shut behind him.

The blond man didn't say anything at first as he sat down to remove his boots. His blue eyes were flashing with annoyance when they finally met Adair's brown eyes. "The Royal Advisor needed to consult with the Mystic Man again today."

"Why does the know-it-all even need to consult with him?" Adair asked, walking over to rub Cain's shoulders soothingly.

Wyatt glanced up at his partner over his shoulder. "She's not a know-it-all, Adair. She's the Queen's Advisor."

"There's a difference?" he snorted, sliding his arms around Wyatt's shoulders and resting his chin on top of the blond head.

The Tin Man sighed and caught Adair's hands with his, kissing each of them in turn. "I really don't know, but she just gets on my nerves."

"So I've noticed," Adair commented dryly, helping Cain out of his duster and holster. "Why don't you just forget about her?"

He gave his lover a skeptical glance. "It's hard to forget her when I have to deal with her on a regular basis."

"You know what I mean." Adair kissed him lightly. "Deal with her, but don't let her get to you."

A faint smile curved Wyatt's lips. "That might work."

"Of course it would. I thought of it." He didn't get a chance to say anything else because he was pulled into a deeper kiss, strong arms winding around him.

* * *

"Majesty, we have received a communiqué from Milltown", the Royal Advisor informed the Queen several months later, not long after the birth of Princess Azkadellia. "They respectfully request assistance in repairing Father Vue. He seems to have developed a 'glitch'."

The Queen nodded, tapping her chin with an elegant finger. "I am guessing what you have not told me is that they have specifically requested your assistance, considering the fact that you are the one who designed and built most of them."

"Yes, your Majesty." Amber Rose replied, blushing. She didn't add that, for the same reason, she was the only human the cyborgs really trusted. "You are correct about that."

Violetta nodded, amused by her friend's modesty. "How soon could you be ready to go to Milltown to help them?"

"In two days, Majesty." She curtsied, not surprised the Queen had agreed to send her. Some of the cyborgs tended to be touchy about accepting help from most humans.

Another nod of the dark head answered her. "You will be accompanied, as usual."

"I understand, your Majesty." Though she disliked the implication that she couldn't take care of herself, she knew better than to argue with her Queen on this point. "Who do you wish to go with me?"

After a moment of silence, the Queen answered with the last name the Royal Advisor expected, "Mr. Wyatt Cain."

"But, Majesty, he's the head of the Mystic Man's protection detail." Amber Rose protested, not liking the idea of having to make the trip with Wyatt Cain of all people. "Wouldn't the Mystic Man object to him being sent away?"

"The Mystic Man has already agreed to give Mr. Cain the necessary time off," the Queen replied calmly, lavender eyes firm. "I know you do not get on well with him, but I feel his company would be beneficial for you."

Rather than voice the thought that came to mind, Amber Rose simply curtsied. "Yes, your Majesty. Do I have your permission to begin making the arrangements?"

"You do. Take care, my friend." The Queen gave a wave of her hand and the doors opened for Amber Rose.

Curtseying again, she backed out of the audience room and left to begin making preparations. Her first stop was the training ground for the royal guards. After she'd defeated an entire squad, she went up to her lab to begin packing possible tools and inventions that could be useful in helping to repair Father Vue.

* * *

"Why does the Queen want _me_ to go?" Wyatt Cain demanded of the Mystic Man when he'd been informed his upcoming trip. "Shouldn't one of the royal guards go?"

His employer shrugged slightly. "The Queen specifically indicated that you need to go with the Royal Advisor to Milltown. She did not say why."

"Of course she didn't. The Queen doesn't need to have a reason," he muttered, annoyed. He could think of other things he'd rather do than tag along after the Royal Advisor to Milltown.

The Mystic Man gave the Tin Man a stern look. "The Queen rarely does anything without a good reason and we need only to trust her."

"I know." Wyatt nodded, letting out a deep breath. "When are we leaving?"

"You need to be at the palace gates in two days, ready to accompany the Royal Advisor," the older man replied. "Have a good trip."

The younger man saluted and left the room. His first stop was the gun rage. He felt better once he'd emptied several rounds of bullets into the various targets. He still didn't like being forced to go to Milltown, but now he could be calm and rational about it.

* * *

Two days later, Amber Rose said farewell to the Queen and exited the palace. A car waited at the foot of the steps, the footmen already loading her bag and equipment into the back. A familiar figure waited by the passenger door. "You don't travel light, do you?"

"Since I don't know exactly _what_ is wrong with Father Vue, it's best to be prepared," she retorted primly, secretly pleased when he opened the door for her.

He closed the door behind her and moved around the car to the driver's side. "How much camping experience do you have?"

"This is hardly my first trip to Milltown, Mr. Cain," Amber Rose answered tartly as he started the car and directed it along the drive to the gates. "And I went camping when I was younger, so I certainly know how to 'rough it.'"

He glanced at her as they waited for the gates to open enough for them to leave. "That depends on your definition of 'roughing it.' A lack of servants at your beck and call is not the same as no shelter except a tent and an open fire."

"As I said, Mr. Cain, I _have_ made this trip before," the Royal Advisor replied stiffly, wondering why the Queen had insisted that this man, of all people, accompany her. "I could probably point out the ideal locations for stopping for the night because I have made this trip so often."

He remained silent as the gatekeeper waved them through. Once they were on their way, all he said was, "We'll see."

Amber Rose sighed and stared out the window. This was going to be a very tedious drive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the record, if people want a visual image for Adair, picture Dr. Spencer Reid from Criminal Minds. I especially like the season two hair. That's about how I visualize Adair's hair. Amber Rose is pretty much Alan Cumming with longer hair and boobs. I made a series of "dolls" of Amber Rose that you can find [here](http://jestana.deviantart.com/art/Amber-Rose-135072974).


	2. Smoothing the Way

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Royal Advisor and Captain of the Mystic Man's protection detail are forced to work together.

"Right over there would be the best place to stop for the night," the Royal Advisor told the Tin Man as twilight began to deepen into night, gesturing to a clearing nearby. "There's enough room for the car and both tents."

They were the first words she'd spoken since they'd stopped for lunch more than a few hours ago. He glanced in the direction she indicated and saw what she meant. Wyatt carefully backed the car into the clearing and turned it off. She climbed out before he could get out and open her door for her. Musing that she seemed more like a man in some ways, he climbed out and moved to the back of the car so they could grab their gear.

He was still wrestling with his tent by the time the Royal Advisor had hers up. "Would like some help with that?"

"No thanks, I've got it," he answered shortly, still wrestling with the damn thing. "Why don't you go gather some firewood?"

"Fine." She stalked off into the forest, burgundy skirt swishing behind her. He shook his head, glad he hadn't been born a woman. He doubted he'd have managed those skirts very well.

By the time she returned with a respectable stack of wood, Wyatt had his tent set up and a firepit ready. He stacked the wood and started the fire, the entire process intently watched by the Royal Advisor. "Didn't your previous escorts start fires before?"

"Of course they did, but they used an M.F.S.U. I invented." At his puzzled look, she produced the item in question and he examined it carefully. "Mobile Fire Starter Unit."

He shrugged and handed it back to her. "I won't always have one of those, so I'd rather stick with what I was taught in survival training."

"Up to you." She sniffed loftily, turning and disappearing into her tent, which, he'd noticed, was larger than his.

He shook his head and pulled out the ingredients and items he needed in order to cook. If she wanted to sulk in her tent, that was fine with him. She was the most infuriating woman he'd met. Almost everything he said seemed to rub her the wrong way. He had no idea how she got along at court with an attitude like that. Adjusting his hat on his head, he began to cook.

* * *

Amber Rose sat cross-legged on her sleeping bag, arms folded across her chest. Why did Wyatt Cain have to be so infuriating? Everything he said was a criticism of one kind or another. What had the Queen been thinking, sending him with Amber Rose? Any other escort would have been perfectly fine, but Violetta had been insistent.

Just as her anger was building to the point that she needed to attack someone, the delicious scent of food reached her. Surprised, she opened her tent and peered out at the Tin Man. "You can cook?"

"Part of Tin Man training," Cain replied, stirring the fire. "We learn to survive with little more than our wits and what we can find on the trail."

"You didn't find all this on the trail," she commented, sitting down on the log beside him as he scooped portions onto the two tin plates he was holding.

He offered one of the plates to her. "No, but I could if necessary." Blue eyes met hers briefly. "If I'm going to rough it, I'm going to make damn sure I have proper food."

"Wise decision," she agreed, the corner of her mouth quirking up slightly. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all. She tried the food and moaned happily. Most of the men who escorted her barely knew how to make one dish and she was a horrible cook herself, so they'd most relied on dried meats and fruit.

She noticed Wyatt watching her and blushed, focusing her attention on her plate. "Do you cook?"

"Not really." She shook her head, sipping the warm cider the Tin Man handed her. "Not even with a proper kitchen. But, I was never expected to cook."

He'd been eating as she spoke and paused at her last statement. "You were hired to be the Royal Advisor from the start?"

"No, hardly that." She shook her head with a laugh. "I was taken from an orphanage at a young age to be a companion to the Princess when it became clear she would be an only child."

Cain paused in the act of bringing his cider to his own lips. "Why adopt an orphan? Why not choose a son or daughter from among the noble families?"

"There weren't any around her age and Queen Sylvia thought it would be best to choose from among the orphans. Not only would it prevent infighting amongst the noble families, but it had the added benefit of helping someone who _truly_ needed helping."

"That someone being you." Wyatt indicated her with his fork. "Wouldn't you have ended up as a lady-in-waiting instead of the Royal Advisor normally?"

Amber Rose made a face at that. "Yes, but Queen Sylvia felt I was too intelligent and valuable as a companion to the Princess to make me a lady-in-waiting. I attended the university with the Princess and she made me her Royal Advisor when the previous one stepped down."

"You're also her bodyguard," the Tin Man observed, finishing his meal. She waited while he sipped his cider. He wouldn't have mentioned it if he wasn't going to pursue the topic. "How did that come about?"

Ducking her head a little, her cheeks warm, she explained, "I'd started taking lessons in self-defense while I was still at the orphanage because the bullies always picked on me. After I was adopted, Queen Sylvia thought it would be a good idea for me to be able to defend the Princess, so my training continued. Now I teach it to the Palace Guard recruits as a mandatory part of their training. Most only know the basics. A few showed enough promise that they continued training with me after the basic training."

"I see." He finished his cider. "It's getting late. I'll see you in the morning. Good night."

She barely had time to wish him a 'good night' in return before he disappeared into his tent. Shaking her head, she finished her dinner and retired as well.

* * *

They reached Milltown the next day around noon. The residents watched the car suspiciously until the Royal Advisor climbed out. Then they relaxed and ushered her into what appeared to be the main building. Wyatt was led to another building to wait for her to finish whatever she'd been asked to do. While he waited, he thought about what she'd revealed the previous night. It went a long way towards explaining some of her reactions to what _he'd_ thought were reasonable questions. Maybe, if he were a little more careful about how he phrased his questions, she'd be less likely to bite his head for one reason or another. _Maybe we'll be able to at least tolerate each other's company now…_

The Tin Man went to bed before the Royal Advisor had reappeared, but she was eating breakfast by the time he'd gotten up and dressed. "Did you get everything worked out for Father Vue?"

"Yes, I did." She nodded, making an impatient noise when the action sent her black curls tumbling into her eyes. Unfortunately, her hands were sticky with apple juice, so she glanced at Wyatt beseechingly. "Mr. Cain, could you..."

"Sure." He reached over and pushed the curls back behind her ears for her, ignoring the way he'd noticed the softness of those curls or the perfect shell shape of those ears. "When did you want to leave for Central City?"

She finished chewing her bite of apple, her cheeks pink for some reason. "Would right after breakfast be fine with you?"

"Perfectly fine," he agreed, relieved that he didn't have to sit around and wait some more. "Most of my things are still in the car."

The Royal Advisor nodded, looking thoughtful. "Good. I just have my equipment and tools to put back. I didn't even bother with my suitcase."

Frowning, he looked more closely at the dress she was wearing. It not only _looked_ like the one she'd worn the day before, but it was the _same_ one she'd worn. Delicately, he asked, "Perhaps you'd like to change into a new dress at least?"

"Hmm?" She glanced down at herself, and then blushed. "Oh, yes, I probably should."

After breakfast, Cain carried her tool bags for her and waited as she pulled out her suitcase and disappeared into the hostel to change. When she re-emerged, she was wearing a navy blue dress instead of the burgundy one and her curls had been brushed and pinned back. After she'd put her suitcase back in the car, they climbed in and started back the way they'd come.

* * *

Amber Rose woke up from her nap when they pulled to a stop. Looking around curiously, she saw that the suns were high in the sky and they'd pulled into a clearing by a lake. She turned to the Tin Man curiously. "What's this?"

"I thought I'd catch some fish for tonight's dinner," he explained, climbing out from behind the wheel. "I noticed the river two nights ago and thought it'd be a good fishing spot."

She frowned, climbing out of the car, and joined him by the trunk. "I don't believe we have any fishing gear, do we?"

"I packed some," Wyatt explained, opening his pack and digging through one of the pockets to pull out a segmented stick that, when he put it together, became a fishing pole. He dug out some string and tied it to the end of the stick. A hook was tied on the other end of the string. "There we are. You can join me if you like. Just don't talk much."

The Royal Advisor nodded and followed him to the riverbank, sitting down on a log near him and simply watched as he placed some bait on the hook and cast it into the water. Once that was done, he jammed the end of the pole into the soft ground on the riverbank and slowly pulled the string in, hand over hand. Brown eyes narrowed as she mused that there had to be an easier way to do that. Pulling her notebook out of her pocket, she began making notes and sketches.

* * *

At the end of the hour he'd allotted himself for fishing, Cain had caught four reasonably-sized fish. He skinned, cleaned, and gutted them before wrapping them in the paper he'd brought, ready to be cooked when they made camp. He'd noticed the Royal Advisor scribbling in her notebook, but hadn't indulged his curiosity while he was so focused on fishing. Once they were back on the road, however, he nodded to the pocket where she'd stowed the notebook. "What were you working on earlier?"

"Oh, the design for a new invention I have in mind," she answered airily, waving a long, slender hand dismissively.

He grunted and continued to drive. She didn't fall asleep, staring out the window and fidgeting with her sleeves instead. Occasionally she mumbled something under her breath, but never loud enough for him to hear, which was fine with him. As the suns dropped low into the sky, the Tin Man spotted the clearing where they'd stopped for lunch two days before. At the time, the Royal Advisor had commented that it was where she and her escorts usually stopped on their way back from Milltown.

They moved to the back of the car to retrieve their camping gear, setting up camp just as they had two nights before. This time, though, she didn't bother to offer to help Wyatt set up his tent. She simply disappeared into the forest to collect firewood once her tent was up. His tent was up by the time she returned and she helped him start the fire, burning her fingers a little when the flame caught quicker than she'd anticipated. Once it was crackling merrily, he cleared his throat and gruffly muttered, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She smiled, obviously pleased that he'd thanked her this time. "I'd offer to help you cook those fish, but I'd likely ruin them."

"You worked hard yesterday," he reminded her simply and unwrapped the fish in order to set them to cook. "Just relax and work on whatever invention you were thinking of earlier."

She laughed softly and pulled her notebook and pencil out, writing and sketching. "Did you learn how to fish during your Tin Man training?"

"No, that's something my father taught me and my brothers," Wyatt explained, pushing his hat back a little on his head. "He would've taught my sisters, too, if I'd had any."

The Royal Advisor glanced over at him at that, but he kept his eyes on the fish, turning them over so the other side could cook. "How many brothers do you have?"

"Two: Frederick owns the family ranch and Howard works as the foreman." Cain pulled the bottle of cider out of the embers of the fire where it'd been warming and poured cups for both of them.

She accepted hers with a smile, setting her notebook aside so she could hold the cup with both hands. "Why didn't you work the ranch with your brothers?"

"I decided I'd rather be a Tin Man," he answered with a shrug, sipping the cider carefully. "I still help out when I go back to visit."

His companion set her cup down by her feet so she could continue to scribble in her notebook, glancing at him from time to time. "It must be lonely sometimes, being away from your family."

"I have Adair." His lips curved up in a longing smile as he thought of his lover. "We keep each other company."

"Adair?" she repeated, arching an eyebrow curiously. "Is he a friend of yours?"

He turned and met her brown eyes squarely with his blue ones. "Adair Walker is my lover."

"Oh!" Her eyes widened briefly and she smiled quietly. "Is he part of the Walker merchant family from Central City?"

Wyatt smiled faintly and turned his attention back to their meal, scooping the cooked fish onto two plates. "Yes. He's the younger of their only two children. His brother is Edwin and he's the one who usually attends the Royal Balls."

"I remember him." She made a face as she accepted the plate he gave her. "Edwin Walker is a stuck up asshole. He thinks all the women should be swooning at his feet just because he's the heir to the largest merchant business in Central City."

He chuckled at that description of Edwin. "That's pretty much Adair's complaint about him, too."

"He tried to seduce me once shortly after I became the Royal Advisor," she commented after swallowing a bite of her fish. "Needless to say, he didn't get very far with me."

The Tin Man nodded, hiding his amusement. "You don't like being seduced?"

"Oh, I would enjoy it if the reason was because the seducer wants Amber Rose, and _not_ the Royal Advisor." She continued to eat, a shadow briefly crossing the pale, delicate features. "Too often, they merely want the connection to the Queen."

Wyatt nodded, mentally making a note about the Royal Advisor's name. He had a feeling it would be important. "That's wise of you to be careful about your choice of partners."

"I had to learn it an early age," Amber Rose explained softly, poking idly at the second fish. "I have to be careful about friendships, too. Some girls only wanted to be my friend because I was the Princess' companion."

He reached over and rested a hand on her slender shoulder, not quite sure how to treat a woman who might cry. "You learned it. That's the important thing."

"I know." She quickly dashed a hand across her eyes and shoved the plate at him. Picking up her notebook, the Royal Advisor disappeared into her tent.

Cain expected to hear sobbing or crying as he ate the fish Amber Rose hadn't touched, but he never did. Shrugging, he banked the fire and crawled into his own tent. As he lay on his back in his sleeping bag, he wondered why part of him was disappointed that the trip would end soon.


	3. Hidden Bumps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Royal Advisor and Captain of the Mystic Man's protection detail get along now.

Once the car pulled up to the steps at the front of the palace, footmen appeared almost magically to unload their gear and whisk the car to the royal garage, leaving Amber Rose standing with a rather bemused Wyatt Cain. Her things had been taken inside while his had been carried off to the royal stables, where his horse had been staying during the trip. Smiling shyly, she offered her hand. "I guess this is good-bye for now, Mr. Cain."

"Yes, I suppose you're right, Miss Amber Rose," he replied, taking her hand and kissing the back. "It was a surprisingly pleasant trip."

She smiled, blushing, when he used her name rather than her title and kissed her hand. "Indeed. I hadn't expected it to go as well as it did."

"We haven't exactly got along in the past," he agreed, beautiful blue eyes meeting her brown ones. "I hope that's changed now."

Amber Rose nodded, automatically reaching up to brush her curls out of her face. "Until we see each other again, Mr. Cain."

"Until then, Miss Amber Rose." He tipped his hat to her and turned to mount the horse one of the stable hands had brought while they were talking; double-checking that his pack was in place. Apparently, it was, because he set off down the drive for the gates.

She waited until he'd disappeared through them before turning to go inside and freshen up before making her report to the Queen. Whatever fancies she may have had would disappear quickly enough once she'd buried herself in her work.

* * *

Since it was the middle of the afternoon when Wyatt got home, he wasn't surprised to find the apartment empty. Adair managed the warehouses for the family, keeping track of everything that went in and out. Since he had the apartment to himself, it gave Wyatt time to clean up and cook dinner for them. Everything was ready and waiting by the time Adair came home. He grinned when he saw Wyatt. He sauntered up to the other man, almost purring his greeting as he traced his fingers along the collar of Wyatt's shirt. "Hello, Stranger."

"Hello, Adair." Wyatt smiled and kissed Adair's cheek. His big hands drifted up to rest on the brunette's slim waist. "I missed you."

Adair pouted slightly, winding his arms around Wyatt's broad shoulders. "Is that any way to greet me after so long apart?"

"Three days is hardly forever," he retorted even as he tightened his arms around Adair's waist, drawing him closer.

"It seemed like it," his lover commented, still pouting prettily.

Chuckling, Wyatt gave in to temptation and kissed Adair, sweet, soft, and long. By the time he pulled back, the other man looked a little dazed. "I shudder to think what you'll be like when we've had to spend three weeks apart instead of three days."

"Oh, you'll enjoy the reunion, I'm sure." Adair kissed Wyatt's cheek and unwound his arms from around the broad shoulders so the shorter man could pull his chair out for him.

He grinned as Adair sat down and kissed the top of his head. "I have no doubts about that."

"Good." The taller man waited until they'd started eating before asking any questions. "How did the trip go? Was it the nightmare you feared it would be to travel with the Royal Advisor?"

Wyatt shook his head, sipping the wine he'd poured to go with their meal. "No, we talked a bit and it helped us keep from biting each other's heads off."

"Oh?" Adair arched a brown eyebrow, taking a bite of his food. "What do you mean?"

He shrugged, swallowing his food. "She came by her position honestly and worked hard for it. She knows I respect her for that, so she'll be less likely to bristle at me over a simple question."

"Such as?" Adair picked up his wineglass and gestured for Wyatt to elaborate before taking a sip.

Wyatt cleared his throat. "I asked her once how one woman could protect the Queen when it took a squad of Tin Men to protect the Mystic Man."

"I remember that day." His partner nodded and set his glass down. "Whatever she did left you pretty sore."

The blond nodded, finishing his meal. "Yeah. I think part of the reason she chose to demonstrate rather than explain was the fact that I'd specifically said one _woman_ instead of one _person_."

The brunette snapped his fingers in sudden realization. "Since you said _woman_ , she thought you were implying one _man_ could protect the Queen better."

"Exactly. I honestly _was_ curious and, now that I know to be more tactful about the way I phrase my questions to her, I think we'll get along better." He smiled slightly, rather liking the idea.

Adair grinned, finishing his wine. "Do you think you were sent on this mission deliberately? So you and the Royal Advisor could work things out between you?"

"I'd have to ask the Mystic Man to be certain, but, yes, I think it was deliberate," he agreed with a grin, setting his empty wineglass on the table. "Do you have any other questions or would you like dessert now?"

"Dessert, please." Adair's eyes glinted wickedly. "Questions afterwards. If we have the energy."

Chuckling, Wyatt got up to take Adair's hand and lead him to the bedroom. There was a reason he loved this man.

* * *

Amber Rose sighed and stretched, wincing when her spine popped several times. _Sat in one position for too long..._ She rubbed her burning eyes, idly wondering what time it was. She nearly fell off the stool she was perched on when a voice startled her, "What are you doing still up, Amber Rose?"

"Majesty!" she gasped, quickly vacating her stool and curtseying. "I didn't know you were here!"

The Queen gestured for the Royal Advisor to rise. "The suns set long ago, my friend. What are you working on?"

"A design for an S.F.P.W.R.A." Amber Rose explained, gesturing to the copious notes and sketches scattered on her design table.

Violetta moved forward to examine the papers while the other woman stood back, long fingers worrying the hem of her sleeve once again. The Queen had both eyebrows raised questioningly when she turned back to the Royal Advisor. "You don't fish. Why invent something you probably won't use?"

"You know my inventions aren't just for me, Majesty," Amber Rose explained, moving forward to gather the papers together, long fingers fluttering as they expertly twitched the pile of paper straight. "Your husband may wish to fish, so the Segmented Fishing Pole with Reel Assembly would be very useful for him."

The Queen shook her head slightly. "You _know_ he doesn't fish."

"My inventions aren't just for the royal family, either," she pointed out, carefully placing the stack of papers into a folder and setting it aside, ready for her to begin constructing a prototype the following day. "There are others who like to fish."

The two women exited the Royal Advisor's laboratory together. "I've said it before and I'll say it again, my friend: you've never been a good liar."

"It's just an idle invention, Majesty, nothing more," Amber Rose wished for a moment that Violetta was less observant, but that was part of the reason she was such a good queen. She noticed little details and analyzed their meaning and importance, all while remaining calm and composed. "Something to occupy my time and mind until something more important comes up."

The Queen nodded, lightly patting the Royal Advisor's arm. "Of course, Amber Rose, I understand. Please try not to stay up too late in the future. We need you well-rested and healthy."

"Yes, Majesty." Amber Rose curtsied and turned to enter her rooms, leaning back against the door with a sigh. _I need to be more discreet with my projects..._ Nodding to herself, she started to get ready for bed. Once in bed, however, it took several hours for her to fall asleep.

* * *

A couple months later, Wyatt quickly got to his feet when he saw who had entered his office. "Royal Advisor. Are you here to see the Mystic Man?"

"No, I'm here to see _you_ , Mr. Cain," she answered with a small smile, setting a box on his desk.

He remained standing for the moment, barely glancing at the box. "You wish to see _me_?"

"Yes." Amber Rose sat down in the chair facing his desk. "Please, sit down, Mr. Cain. This is _your_ office, after all."

Wyatt sat down, quite curious about her visit. "Why do you want to see me?"

"I've invented something that I'd like you to field test for me," she explained, tapping the box with long, elegant fingers. "There's only so much laboratory testing can do."

He looked at the box, noticing that it was about medium-sized: not too big to carry, but too big to carry easily in one hand. Printed on top were the letters S.F.P.W.R.A. "What is this?"

"Open it and find out." Amber Rose looked calm, but Wyatt noticed that she was plucking at the hem of one sleeve with the fingers of the other hand.

Mentally shrugging, he did as she suggested. What he found inside was a series of sticks remarkably similar to his fishing pole. They were connect by some sort of string, most of which was wound around a spool attached to the thickest stick, with a crank on one end of the spool. Wyatt glanced at Amber Rose curiously. "A fishing pole?"

"A Segmented Fishing Pole with Reel Assembly," she recited, brown eyes bright with enthusiasm. "I noticed some of the trouble you had while fishing and sought to make improvements on the original design."

He nodded, picking up the object and fitting the sticks together. Once assembled, it was the same length as his own fishing pole, though the spool and crank on the end added weight. Since he'd hold that end anyway, it shouldn't be a problem. "How does it work?"

"About the same as your fishing pole," Amber Rose explained, gesturing with her hands as she talked. "I used it as my original model. Except the string extends from the reel, through the small rings on the pole to the end, where you tie your bait so you can cast it into the water, and then use the reel to bring it back in without having to put the pole down or jam it into the ground or anything like that."

Wyatt examined the pole once more, trying to visualize what she'd described. "You want me to fish with this?"

"If you could and let me know how well it worked?" she asked, looking hopeful.

He nodded, beginning to dismantle the fishing pole to put it away. "Sure, I can do that. Do you want me to write about it, or just tell you?"

"Telling me about it will be sufficient," she assured him, getting to her feet. "Thank you for doing this."

Wyatt smiled as he carefully placed the fishing pole in the box and closed it. "It'll give me a good excuse to take Adair out of the city for awhile. We both need a break."

"I'm glad I could help you with that." Amber Rose offered her hand to him. "I hope you enjoy your vacation with him."

He took her hand and kissed it as he'd been taught. "Thank you. Have a good day, Miss Amber Rose."

"You, too, Mr. Cain." Still smiling, she turned and left.

He watched her go before setting the box on the floor by the coat rack. _An interesting invention..._

* * *

The Royal Advisor left the Mystic Man's elegant Central City townhouse at a fast walk, skirts swishing behind her. _What did you expect, you idiot? He's happy with Adair. Of course he would share something like that with him..._ Amber Rose caught the trolley to the entertainment district and proceeded to The Emerald Lounge. She perched on one of the bar stools and nodded to the bartender. He nodded back and fixed her a vodka martini, just the way she liked: barely a hint of vermouth and a twist of lemon to go with the vodka.

The bartender set the drink in front of her and Amber Rose took a healthy swallow, relieved when she felt the alcohol go right to her head. Given the fact that she hadn't eaten anything since lunch, it was no surprise. It just meant she'd get drunk that much quicker. That was all she wanted. Well, and to forget her troubles for a few hours.

Amber Rose didn't notice the tall, lean man who paused just inside the door to the lounge. He adjusted his coat so the Tin Man badge on the lapel caught the light and smoothed his hair back with one hand. As he moved further into the bar, his attention was caught by the slender figure perched on the stool at the end, long dark curls back into an elegant style that left her long, pale neck bare. He all but sauntered over to her. "Looking for company tonight, Miss?"

"Not especially," she replied, brown eyes--already hazy with drink--flicking up and down the figure he presented to its best advantage. "At least, not you."

"You wound me, Miss." He pressed a hand to his heart with a feigned expression of dismay. "May I ask why you don't want _my_ company?"

"You're not him," Amber Rose answered simply, finishing the martini in front of her. "Bartender! Another!"

The man appeared as if by magic, setting the drink in front of her and taking the coin she handed him. "Last one of the evening, Miss."

"I know." She waved the man off. Those brown eyes flicked towards the man beside her. "What brings you here, Mr... Whoever-you-are?"

He seemed to take that as an invitation, because he slid smoothly onto the stool beside hers. "Simply the pleasure of your lovely company."

"Smooth-talker." Amber Rose smiled crookedly, sipping her drink. "What would the pleasure of my company involve?"

The stranger smiled suavely, white teeth gleaming in the ambient light. "Whatever you like."

"Sex?" she asked, arching both dark brows inquiringly.

Gray eyes glittered as they met brown. "If that's your preference."

"Good." She finished her drink. "Are we going to your place?"

He rose smoothly to his feet, offering his hand to her. "If you like."

"I do." She took his hand and slid smoothly from the stool, stumbling a little when she tried too hard to keep her balance. "Whoops!"

The handsome man steadied her. "Careful."

"Thank you." She leaned into him as they started from the bar, both unaware that the bartender watched them closely. "What's your name?"

"Zero."


	4. Getting Over the Bumps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life goes on for the Royal Advisor and the Captain of the Mystic Man's protection detail.

"Did she say _why_ she invented this?" Adair examined the fishing pole Wyatt had brought home after a long day of work.

The Tin Man shook his head as he finished the meal his lover had had waiting for him. "No, just that she wanted me to field test it for her."

"When do you plan to do that?" the brunette asked as he began to dismantle the fishing pole and put it back in the box.

The blond sipped the last of his wine as he watched his partner. "I was actually hoping we could do that together. Arrange to get the same few days off from work and go for a little vacation."

"I'll see what I can do." Adair sighed softly as he closed the box on the fishing pole. "You know how my father can be about me taking time off from work."

Wyatt nodded, reaching up to draw his lover into his lap, kissing him softly. "You get the time off from work. Then I'll talk to the Mystic Man. He tends to be more reasonable than your father."

"That's putting it mildly." The other man snorted, nestling his head on Wyatt's broad shoulder.

He smiled sadly, simply holding his partner. Loving a man did have its drawbacks, but he wouldn't give Adair up for anything in the O.Z.

* * *

Amber Rose woke with a splitting headache, queasy stomach, and a foul taste in her mouth. She always swore she would never drink again and she always did anyway. Luckily, she'd invented the H.C.F.S.H.Q.S.A.B.B. for just that reason. Except, when she rolled over to search for said invention without opening her eyes, she fell off the bed and onto the floor. Puzzled, she sat up and looked around blearily, not recognizing her surroundings at all. _Apparently, I didn't go home last night..._ A low, amused drawl drew her attention to the doorway, "Where are you going, darlin'?"

"Where am I?" she asked, noticing that the tall, lean man was nearly naked. He only wore a pair of pants that rode low on his narrow hips because they weren't fastened. She glanced down at herself and, realizing she was completely naked herself, quickly pulled the sheet off the bed to regain some sense of modesty and dignity.

The stranger laughed, low and deep. It was not a pleasant sound. "It's a little late for that, sweet cheeks. I saw _everything_ last night."

"Y-you did?" Amber Rose inwardly cursed at how squeaky that had sounded. "We, um, we had intimate relations last night?"

He lounged in the doorway, his pants slipping down a little on one hip. "That's one way to put it, doll face."

"Please stop calling me those names," she requested as she got to her feet, keeping the sheet wrapped tightly around her body. "Where are my clothes?"

The man straightened up, an emotion Amber Rose couldn't identify briefly appearing in his gray eyes. "What else am I to call you when you refused to give me your name?"

"Miss would be just fine, thank you," she retorted icily, edging around the bed to search for the dress she'd worn the day before, finding it crumpled in a puddle of burgundy fabric on the other side of the bed.

As she reached down to scoop up the dress, the man commented, "Miss is so boring, though. Wouldn't a nickname be better?"

"Not the ones you're coming up with." Keeping the sheet drawn tight around her, she slipped through the other door she'd spotted, grateful to find that it led to a bathroom.

By the time she emerged fully-dressed from the bathroom, the stranger had stretched out on the bed, the sheets strategically draped over his now-nude form, an inviting smile on his face. "Come on, darlin', one more for the road."

"No. Good day, Mr. Zero." Her head held high despite the way it pounded, Amber Rose left his apartment. Once outside the building, she hailed a cab to take her to the palace. She really needed that Hangover Cure for Splitting Headaches, Queasy Stomachs, and Bad Breath now.

When she arrived at the palace, the footman who opened the door for her didn't even raise an eyebrow at her disheveled hair and crumpled dress. He simply paid the cabbie for her while she proceeded inside and up to her rooms. Once safe inside them, she downed a healthy swallow of the H.C.F.S.H.Q.S.A.B.B. along with a M.A.U.P.S.P. due to the 'intimate relations' and indulged in a long, hot shower, washing away any and all traces of the previous night's activities. _First time that's happened. Good thing I'm always prepared…_

"Good morning, Amber Rose." The Queen's voice was the last one the Royal Advisor expected to hear upon her emergence from the bathroom.

"Majesty!" Keeping her towel wrapped tight around her, Amber Rose curtseyed briefly, absently noticing that her maid was not present in the room, probably at the Queen's request. "What brings you to my rooms at this hour of the morning?"

"Concern for you, my friend." Violetta watched calmly as the brunette gathered a forest green dress from the closet and suitable undergarments from the dresser before disappearing behind the changing screen to dress. "You left the palace yesterday afternoon and didn't return until about an hour ago."

Flattered by the Queen's concern for her, the Royal Advisor draped the now-damp towel over the screen and began to put on her undergarments. "Why would that concern you? I _could_ have been seeing someone."

Violetta's voice was almost maddeningly calm when she answered. "Yes, but what I've heard is that the person you left here to see is _not_ the same person who owns the apartment where you spent the night."

Amber Rose smiled wryly as she slipped into the dress. This wasn't the first time her movements had been reported to the Queen. "I didn't exactly _intend_ to spend the night with anyone last night. It just happened."

"Please be careful, Amber Rose." Lavender eyes met brown when the Royal Advisor emerged from behind the changing screen, mostly dressed. "I can easily appoint someone else as my Royal Advisor, but I _can't_ appoint someone else as my best friend."

"Thank you, Violetta." She smiled faintly, daring to briefly rest her hand on the Queen's shoulder. "I can assure you that I don't intend for a repeat of last night to take place."

"Good." The Queen embraced the Royal Advisor briefly before exiting the rooms. Once she had, Amber Rose's maid entered to help her finish getting dressed.

* * *

Having grown up in Central City, Adair had never really gone camping or fishing. Wyatt had always intended to change that, but this trip was the first chance he'd had to do so. Except his efforts to teach his lover didn't go quite as planned. Adair just wasn't very good at fishing. He seemed more than content to lay with his head pillowed on Wyatt's thigh while the Tin Man did the fishing. One such time, he asked quietly, "Do you ever miss your family's ranch?"

"What brought this question on?" Wyatt asked, glancing down at his partner.

Adair shrugged, his slender hands folded together on his stomach. "You enjoy all of this so much; I can't help wondering why you gave it up in the first place."

"I left the ranch so I could be a Tin Man," he explained, cranking the reel to bring the line back in. He had to admit that the reel made it much easier to fish. "I knew I'd be giving up some things I love in order to do that."

Brown eyes peered up at him thoughtfully. "Have you ever regretted that decision?"

"No. I enjoy being a Tin Man." He smiled fondly, reaching down with his free hand to stroke Adair's soft brown hair. "And I met you. How could I regret it?"

Smiling, Adair caught his hand and kissed the palm. "Thank you."

"For what?" Wyatt reluctantly freed his hand so he could continue reeling in the line.

"For being you. For loving me." The younger man smiled and watched Wyatt. "I was getting stuck in a rut when I met you. Then my life changed and I couldn't be happier."

He finished reeling in the line and set the fishing pole aside. Gently easing Adair into a sitting position, he kissed him. His lover moaned and returned the kiss quite happily.

* * *

Amber Rose descended the front stairs of the palace at a dignified yet quick pace. The man waiting by the front doors of the palace was very familiar to her, despite the fact that she hadn't seen him in several weeks. "Mr. Cain. What brings you to the palace? Does the Mystic Man need an audience with the Queen?"

"No, I came to see you, Miss Amber Rose," he replied, lifting the box he held in one hand. It was the S.F.P.W.R.A. she'd invented. "I'm here to report on the fishing pole you asked me to field test for you."

She nodded and gestured for him to come up the stairs. "If you'll follow me?"

"Certainly." Wyatt climbed the stairs and followed Amber Rose to her laboratory.

The Royal Advisor cleared off the only chair in the room and gestured for Wyatt to sit. "Please, have a seat."

"Thank you." He sat down in the chair and set the box on the floor beside it. While Amber Rose pulled the stool over to face the Tin Man, he looked around the room. It was neat with boxes of labeled parts against the walls. Her tools hung on a peg board over the work area. A filing cabinet stood in the corner near there, with labels on each drawer.

Amber Rose settled properly on her stool. "How did the field test work out?"

"Quite well," Wyatt replied, returning his attention to her. "The pole itself didn't fall apart like my old one would and the reel certainly made it easier to pull in the fish."

She nodded, making notes on the board perched on her knees. "Good, those were my chief concerns. Did you have any problems?"

"Not really. It worked fine." He smiled quietly to himself. "Adair _did_ comment that he wished you could somehow invent fake worms that we could use as bait. He didn't really like having to put them on the hook."

The Royal Advisor shuddered at the thought and nodded. "I completely sympathize. I don't know how you can stand to _look_ at worms, let alone pick them up and put them on the hook."

"I've been doing it since I was a boy," the Tin Man answered with a shrug. "I've never really thought about it."

She shook her head, smiling wryly. "I'll see if I can't come up with something."

"It wasn't a hint," Wyatt told her, blue eyes widening briefly with surprise. "I didn't mean for you to actually _invent_ something."

Amber Rose smiled quietly. "I'll consider it a challenge."

"Okay." He gave her an odd look. "Well, that's it, really. I'll leave you to your inventing."

She got to her feet, hiding her disappointment that he was leaving so soon. "Thank you for your report. It was most helpful."

"Thank _you_ for letting me field test it." The Tin Man stood up when she did.

The Royal Advisor picked up the box and held it out to him. "Keep it. I can easily make another."

"You're sure?" Wyatt didn't take the box right away.

Amber Rose nodded firmly. "Quite certain."

"All right." He took the box. "Thank you."

"Thank _you_." She walked him down the stairs and saw him out the door. Sighing softly, she returned to her laboratory. When the Queen checked on the Royal Advisor a few minutes later, the former found the latter buried deep in her work.


	5. Roadwork Ahead!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not everyone approves of men loving other men, as Adair and Wyatt find out.

Wyatt wasn't worried when he came home to empty apartment one evening a few months later. Sometimes, when Adair made his rounds of the clients who shipped through the Walkers, he'd linger and talk with friends he'd made among them. Figuring that was the case tonight, Wyatt fixed something for himself and prepared to wait for Adair, settling down in front of the fire with a good book. He didn't realize he'd fallen asleep until he was woken by knocking on the door. Setting the book aside, he went to answer the door. A familiar face greeted him, though not the one he hoped for. "Edwin. What brings you here at this time of night?"

"It's Adair," Edwin replied, looking utterly serious for once in his life. "He's been hurt."

Wyatt stared at him, his heart stopping for a moment before racing into overdrive. "What? How? When? Where?"

"He was attacked, though we don't know who did it," Edwin explained, brown eyes so like yet unlike his brother's full of sympathy. "Someone found him unconscious in an alley and took him to the hospital. That's when Father, Mother, and I were contacted. The woman who found Adair insisted that we tell you, too."

The Tin Man's mind raced as he contemplated what it could mean. Adair was too nice for anyone to really dislike him enough to hurt him. The only other reason he could think of for someone to dislike Adair enough to hurt him was the fact that he loved Wyatt, but most people didn't really object to homosexuals. They didn't like them, but they didn't dislike them enough to actually _hurt_ someone over it. He shook his head briefly and returned his attention to Edwin. "Who found Adair?"

"The Queen's Royal Advisor," Edwin clarified, annoyance flashing briefly across his face.

Wyatt hid a smile. The annoyance was probably due to the fact that Amber Rose had resisted Edwin's attempts to seduce her. "Will you take me to Adair?"

"Of course." The elder Walker brother gave a huff of annoyance. "Why else would I still be here after telling you the news?"

Stifling a chuckle, Wyatt retrieved his hat and coat from the coat stand by the door. "I'm ready."

"Come on, then." Without further ado, Edwin led the way from the apartment, obviously impatient to get back to his brother. Though not as much as Wyatt. He wanted the reassurance that his lover would be all right.

* * *

Amber Rose was alone in the hospital waiting room while Mr. and Mrs. Walker sat with their younger son and Edwin was away getting Wyatt. She took advantage of her solitude to pace the room, her skirt fluttering around her ankles. Her emotions were so confused and she didn't know what she was going to say or do when she was face-to-face with Wyatt. Up until recently, they'd usually been at each other's throats for one reason or another. That had changed a great deal for her, but she didn't know how much for Wyatt. Would he believe the truth or trust years' worth of antagonism? Hearing familiar voices in the hall leading to the waiting room, Amber Rose stopped pacing and turned to face the door. The first man to enter the room was HearHfairly tall, with wavy brown hair and brown eyes, which flashed briefly with annoyance when he saw Amber Rose. The annoyance disappeared quickly, though, replaced by gratitude. She hardly took it in, though, her attention focused on the second man to enter. Also fairly tall, he had short-cropped blond hair and piercing blue eyes, shadowed with worry and concern. "Mr. Walker. Mr. Cain."

"Your Honor." Edwin took the pale slender hand she offered and made a show of kissing the back. "Thank you again for finding my brother and bringing him here."

She smiled and extracted her hand from his grip with great politeness. "He needed help and I could assist. How could I not?"

"Thank you, Miss Amber Rose," Wyatt replied, taking her hand and kissing the back as well. "It means the O.Z. to me that you found him." The blue eyes surveyed her form. Though her skirt and blouse were dirty from the filth in the alley and Adair's blood, they were otherwise unspoiled. "You weren't hurt yourself?"

She shook her head, touched that he'd thought to ask, even though it was likely more of an afterthought to his worry for Adair. "No. I sometimes take walks at night to clear my mind. It was lucky chance that I was walking by that particular alley when Adair groaned."

"How can you be sure it was an attack?" the Tin Man asked, his gaze sharpening.

The Royal Advisor gestured to her face. "The pattern of bruises and other injuries suggest that he was beaten rather severely."

"Not to mention the fact that Adair was unconscious when she found him," Edwin interjected, looking annoyed again. He addressed Amber Rose, "Are Mother and Father still with Adair?"

She nodded. "They haven't left his side yet."

"I'll go see if they'll give Wyatt some time alone with Adair." Edwin strode from the room without another word.

The Tin Man turned to her. "Will there be an investigation?"

"Yes." The Royal Advisor nodded again. "I already gave my statement, though the Tin Men may question me further once they've finished going over the alley where I found Adair. You know, of course, that they'll want to question Adair when he's awake, and likely the rest of you as well."

Wyatt nodded this time. "Yes, part of our training at the Academy." He tilted his head at her curiously. "Why were you walking the streets at night? Wouldn't walking the gardens at the palace be a safer way of clearing your head?"

"I generally prefer the gardens, yes, but sometimes even those feel too confining." Amber Rose wondered if Wyatt would understand. "I've pretty much grown up there, but there are times when it's nice to pretend I'm no one special and walk amongst the people without anyone knowing who I am or what I do."

He offered a crooked smile. "Shouldn't that be the Queen who feels the need to be among the people?"

"She feels it, too, but she has her husband and daughter to keep her busy." She quickly bit the inside of her cheek to keep from saying anything about the loneliness she felt at times.

Edwin returned at that moment with his parents. While the former took Wyatt to Adair's room, the latter sat down in the waiting room, holding each other. Feeling out of place, Amber Rose quickly left to return to the castle. If the Tin Men needed to talk to her, they'd know where to find her.

* * *

Wyatt refused to leave Adair's side, wanting to be right there when his lover finally woke up. The staff didn't really like the idea, but he insisted. When Mr. and Mrs. Walker agreed that Wyatt should stay, they stopped trying to kick him out. It was early in the morning when he was woken from a restless sleep by movement from Adair. He propped himself up on one elbow to watch as his partner's good eye slowly fluttered open and took in his surroundings. When he saw Wyatt, a relieved smile appeared. Leaning down to kiss Adair's cheek, he whispered, "Sleep. We'll talk in the morning."

"Luv'oo," Adair murmured sleepily, managing to wriggle further into Wyatt's arms.

Blinking back tears of relief, he briefly tightened his arms around Adair as he laid back down. "I love you, too."

"Stay?" The question was barely breathed against Wyatt's neck.

He smiled and gently stroked Adair's hair. "Of course."

"Goo'." Adair was asleep in the next moment.

Wyatt smiled fondly and slipped into a more restful sleep now that his lover had woken. The next time he woke up, the room was full of sunslight and Adair was simply watching him. He smiled and reached up to stroke his cheek. "How are you feeling?"

"Like crap, but you probably guessed as much anyway." His lover smiled crookedly.

He nodded, shifting to sit up. "Yeah, but I thought I'd ask anyway."

"Thanks for staying." Adair caught Wyatt's hand and squeezed it.

"As if I could stay away," he replied with a fond smile, slipping into the chair by the bed.

The taller man smiled, and then winced, reaching up to touch his cheek. "Damn bruises."

"Do you know who did this to you?" Wyatt asked, leaning forward and gazing intently at Adair.

The brown eye seemed to unfocus as Adair thought about it. A frown creased his forehead and he focused his good eye on Wyatt. "The last thing I remember was going to **Jot & Tiddle** to talk with Baldwin about their next shipment of books."

"Damn." He sighed, disappointed. "Maybe the investigation will turn something up."

Looking a little worried and scared, Adair nodded. "Maybe."

* * *

Almost as soon as she'd woken, Amber Rose had buried herself in her work in the laboratory. She was so intent on her work that she jumped when someone touched her shoulder. Turning around, she found one of footmen standing nearby, looking apologetic. "I'm sorry for disturbing you, Your Honor, but there's a Tin Man here who needs to speak with you."

"A Tin Man?" She rose gracefully to her feet, moving to the sink in the corner to clean her hands, which were smudged with ink and graphite. "Did he give a name?"

The footman handed her the towel when she finished washing her hands, having often come to her laboratory bearing messages. "His name is Zero Topple."

"Oh." She closed her eyes briefly as she dried her hands, ignoring the disappointment that flooded through her. _I hope he's here about the attack on Adair..._ "I'll be there in just a minute."

He nodded, giving her an unreadable look before he turned and left. She rolled down the sleeves of her blouse and pulled on her uniform jacket. She checked her appearance in the mirror on the back of the laboratory door, satisfied that she looked appropriately professional. That done, she went downstairs to talk with Zero. He rose when she entered the parlor, cool gray eyes widening briefly when he recognized her. "So _you're_ the Royal Advisor."

"I am, Mr. Topple," she answered stiffly, offering her hand to him.

Smirking, Zero kissed the back, but didn't stop there, sliding his lips down to kiss her fingers, his eyes still on hers. "It is a large pleasure to see you again, Amber Rose."

"Thank you, Mr. Topple." She firmly pulled her hand out of his grasp, discreetly wiping it on her skirt as she moved to the chairs facing each other. "I was told you wished to see me?"

Zero had turned and followed her, standing too close for her comfort. "Yes. I'm here to interview you about your part in the attack on Mr. Adair Walker."

"I did not witness the attack itself," she retorted, moving away from him again and putting a table between them. "I found him unconscious in an alley, already beaten and bruised."

He smirked, leaning against the fireplace mantel in a familiar pose that brought back unpleasant memories. "So you _say_ , but do you know anyone who can vouch for your story?"

"No," she admitted this with great reluctance, clasping her hands behind her back to hide the way she was plucking at the hem of one sleeve with the fingers of the other hand. "I was alone when I found Mr. Walker, but I've never harbored any ill will towards the man. I have no reason at all to harm him."

Zero left his post by the fireplace and prowled towards her, skirting the table and crowding her against the armchair. "The fact that he's in a happy relationship with Wyatt Cain doesn't bother you in the slightest?"

"Why should it?" Amber Rose slipped under his arm and around the chair, feeling rather like a mouse being hunted by a very dangerous and persistent cat. "Mr. Cain and I have only recently become friends."

Once again, he moved close, this time crowding her against the wall, and leaned in so his face was close to hers, their noses almost touching, gray eyes glittering with malice and hunger. "You called his name in bed. A man never forgets when a woman calls another name when she's with him."

"That was a mistake," she snapped, using her knee in his stomach and her elbow in his chest to push him away from her. "I never should have gone with you."

Zero caught her elbow when she tried to brush past him, bringing her around to face him. There was no smirk, no smile on his face now: only cold hunger and lust. "I wouldn't be so sure. You were quite...passionate."

"I was drunk," she hissed at him, brown eyes blazing with anger. "That's the only reason I'd have been passionate with _you_."

Glaring, he grabbed her other arm and practically smashed his mouth against hers in a bruising kiss. The anger that had been simmering since she'd walked into the room now boiled over. Bringing her knee up, she slammed it into his groin. Groaning, he crumpled to the ground, hands cupped protectively over his crotch. He gasped out a single word as he glared at her through the pain. "Bitch!"

"Ass," she retorted, moving to the door of the parlor. A palace guard stood on either side and didn't bat an eye at the obvious anger radiating from her or her disheveled appearance. "Men, please escort Mr. Topple from the palace. He has overstayed his welcome."

Both saluted and entered the parlor. She stood and watched as they reappeared, holding Zero between them. The Tin Man was trying to walk straight and tall, but there was a hint of a hunch to his shoulders and he winced with each step he took. Satisfied that he was taken care of, she went to report the incident to the Queen.


	6. Repairing the Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The investigation into the attack on Adair continues.

When Wyatt arrived at the hospital a few days later to visit with Adair, his lover looked worried and thoughtful. "Hey. Are you all right?"

"Someone finally came to interview me about the attack," Adair replied, meeting Wyatt's blue eyes with his brown ones.

Wyatt rolled his eyes. "It's about time. Who interviewed you?"

"Zero Topple," his lover answered. "I didn't like him very much."

The blond stifled a groan. "Why Zero of all people?"

"You know him?" Adair was obviously surprised to hear this. "He didn't give any indication that he knew _you_."

Wyatt shrugged, not quite meeting Adair's eyes. "We met at the Academy, did a lot of our training together. We were the top two in our class. Both of us applied for the position with the Mystic Man's protection detail when it opened up." He sighed. "Zero never forgave me for getting the position instead of him."

Adair listened quietly as his lover talked, resting a slender hand over Wyatt's broader one. "Were you two lovers?"

"I thought we were," Wyatt replied. "Turned out he was using me to get ahead. When I wasn't useful anymore, he dropped the relationship like a bad apple."

His lover tugged gently on his hand until he leaned forward. When he did, Adair closed the distance to hug him. Softly, he murmured in his ear. "I'm sorry he hurt you, but part of me is glad, because it gave me a chance to be with you."

"It hurt for a time, but hindsight has shown me that it wasn't a proper relationship," Wyatt replied, resting his cheek on Adair's shoulder. "Especially once we started dating."

After a few moments, the younger man gently pulled back and settled against his pillows. "Good. You deserve someone better than Zero."

"That someone being you?" Wyatt asked with a wry smile.

Adair laughed, brown eyes glinting with amusement. "Perhaps."

"Did Zero tell you if they have any leads?" The change in subject was rather abrupt, but he'd been wondering for days.

The amusement disappeared from his lover's face and he looked down at his lap. "Not a lead, exactly, but a strong suspicion."

"Who do they suspect?" he demanded, certain from Adair's change of mood that he wouldn't like whoever it was.

"The Royal Advisor," Adair whispered to his hands.

Wyatt stared at the taller man. "How can they suspect her? She found you!"

"I'm not saying he's right, Wyatt, but we only have her word that she found me." The brunette lifted his head to gaze at the blond. "How do we know it's the truth?"

* * *

The Queen and Royal Advisor were deep in conversation when a knock on the door interrupted them. At a gesture from the Queen, the door opened and a footman entered. "Your pardon, Majesty, but a Tin Man wishes to speak with the Royal Advisor."

"Me?" Amber Rose glanced at Violetta, surprised. "It's not Mr. Topple, is it?"

The footman shook his head. "No, Your Honor. It's Mr. Wyatt Cain."

"Cain," she whispered before she could stop herself. Noticing the Queen's curious glance, the Royal Advisor quickly composed herself. "Tell him I'll be right there."

The footman bowed deeply. "Yes, Your Honor."

He left and Amber Rose turned to her friend. "Could you excuse me, Majesty? This must be important if he's come during the day."

"Of course, Amber Rose." Violetta smiled as she patted her friend's hand. "Go and talk with Mr. Cain."

She impulsively leaned forward to hug the other woman. "I'll be back."

"There's no hurry." The Queen gave a soft laugh as she returned the hug.

Rising to her feet, the Royal Advisor hurried from the room. She spotted the footman and he indicated the door behind him. Nodding, she made her way to the parlor. Wyatt stood by the fireplace, gazing into the flames. He turned at her entrance and the look in his eyes gave her pause. "Mr. Cain, hello. I hope Mr. Walker is well?"

"As well as can be expected, given that he's still recovering from a beating," the man retorted, blue eyes guarded.

She tilted her head curiously. "Have you heard anything about the investigation?"

"They have a suspect," Wyatt told her, his tone implying that she should know who it was.

When he didn't elaborate, she gestured inquiringly. "And? Who is it?"

"There is apparently some doubt over your claim that you _found_ Adair," he explained, anger flashing briefly in his eyes.

She stared at him in mute shock for several moments before anger and a little hurt took over, pacing furiously as words tumbled out. "They suspect _me_? He'd be dead if not for me and _I'm_ the suspect? I have no criminal record and I'm the main suspect? That is ridiculous!" She turned to Wyatt, who still stood by the fireplace, a slight smile curving his lips, and jabbed a finger in his general direction. "You know who's responsible for this? Zero Topple."

"Zero Topple?" He raised an eyebrow at that very obviously surprised. "How do you know him?"

She waved a hand dismissively, blushing as she continued pacing. "I was drunk and stupid _one_ night and he thinks we should do it again." Her eyes narrowed with anger. "When he came to 'interview' me about finding Adair, he tried to seduce me. I stopped him with a well-placed knee and now he has it in for me." She clenched and unclenched her fists at her sides. "That _has_ to be it. There's no reason to suspect me on such flimsy and circumstantial--" She stopped short at the sound of laughter. Wyatt was now leaning against the fireplace, laughing so hard he was crying. "Why are you laughing? What's so funny?"

"You-- Zero-- knee-- family jewels!" He gasped between bursts of laughter.

Amber Rose opened her mouth to lash out at him, but then she considered his words and reluctantly smiled. "Yes, I suppose it _did_ look rather funny." Softly, she began to laugh, too, leaning against the wall for support when she couldn't stand upright any longer.

It took them several minutes to calm down, wiping the tears from their eyes. Wyatt used his handkerchief while Amber Rose dabbed at her eyes with the edges of her sleeves. "Here, why don't you use mine?"

"Thank you." She accepted the handkerchief and wiped away the tears.

When she returned the square of fabric, he tucked it back into his pocket. "Look, if Zero _is_ doing this because he has a grudge against you, then you need to make a complaint about him."

"I have no firm proof that that _is_ his reason," she replied, growing worried as she thought about it. "I only have a hunch."

He gently tipped her chin up with his fingers so her eyes met his. "He accused you of attacking Adair with no substantial proof. That will be reason enough to make a complaint and have an investigation started into his cases. If he's letting personal feelings and opinions affect the way he does his job, then he's not being a proper Tin Man and the chief Tin Man needs to be made aware of this. All right?"

"All right." She managed a small smile, her heart beating like a drum at his closeness and the touch of his hand on her chin. "Anything to protect innocent people from the likes of him."

Wyatt grinned and dropped his hand, much to her disappointment. "Good."

* * *

The Tin Man chief thanked them for reporting Zero to her. "I've suspected him of not following procedure in the past, but no one has said anything and the cases get solved, so I had no reason to do anything before now."

"I'm glad we could help," Amber Rose answered, glancing briefly at Wyatt.

A knock at the door interrupted them. The clerk poked his head in the door. "I'm sorry for interrupting, Chief, but Baldwin Brandt is here to speak with you. He said it was urgent."

"Yes, Mr. Brandt." She got to her feet and held out her hand to each of them. "I apologize for rushing you two out, but this is important."

Amber Rose shook the chief's hand first. "Of course, we understand."

"Thank you for your time," Wyatt added, shaking her hand.

She nodded and walked them to the door. "I'll keep you apprised of the situation, of course."

"Of course." Wyatt opened the door for Amber Rose and gestured for her to exit first.

When he followed her out the door, they came face-to-face with Baldwin. A gangly young man with bright red hair, freckles, and thick glasses that practically hid his gray eyes, Baldwin grew pale when he saw the Tin Man. "Mr. Cain!"

"Hello, Mr. Brandt." He'd been holding his hat in one hand during the talk with the chief and now lifted it in a sort of wave. "How are you?"

Gasping for air like a beached fish, the young man all but threw himself at Wyatt's feet. "I'm sorry, Mr. Cain!"

"Sorry?" he repeated, puzzled. "For what?"

Tears had already streaked down Baldwin's cheeks when he lifted his head to look up at Wyatt. "I'm the one who hurt Adair! It's my fault he's in the hospital."

"What? Why?" he demanded, not sure he believed the young man. Baldwin was at least half a head shorter than Adair and had little muscle to speak of at all. Adair, at least, had a lean, wiry build. Poor Baldwin was just gangly. "You two are friends!"

The chief stepped in at that point, having recovered from her shock. "I think I'd better take over from here, Mr. Cain."

"She's right, Wyatt," Amber Rose added, resting a hand on his arm to restrain him as two Tin Men helped Baldwin to his feet and escorted him towards the interrogation rooms. "She'll let you know the details once she's talked with Mr. Brandt."

Reluctantly, Wyatt nodded and didn't follow the chief to the interrogation rooms. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair worriedly. "How am I going to tell Adair this? He counted Baldwin as one of his closest friends."

"You'll tell him gently and tactfully," she told him firmly. "Then you'll find out together why he attacked Mr. Walker in the first place."

He nodded again. "Thank you for your advice, Miss Amber Rose."

"You're welcome, Mr. Cain."

They left the station together, but parted ways out front. Wyatt had to go to the hospital and Amber Rose needed to return to the palace.


	7. Good Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amber Rose becomes good friends with Wyatt and Adair.

Several days after Baldwin Brandt made his confession to the Tin Man chief, the Royal Advisor sat with the Queen as she explained how everything had occurred. "Baldwin Brandt was raised in a very conservative environment. He was taught that loving another man was wrong and that he should avoid homosexuals." Amber Rose shook her head slightly. She couldn't imagine anyone actually thinking something like that, let alone teaching it to their children. "Adair Walker befriended Mr. Brandt upon meeting him and only after the friendship had been established did the latter discover that the former was homosexual. Mr. Brandt chose to continue the friendship because he didn't want to hurt Mr. Walker's feelings."

"He can think for himself, then," Violetta mused, tapping a finger on the arm of her chair. "That's a good sign." She looked at her friend. "Why did he attack Mr. Walker?"

She finished her drink of water and continued her explanation. "Over time, Mr. Brandt's feelings for Mr. Walker strengthened and developed into attraction. On the evening of the attack, something happened that caused Mr. Brandt to lash out at Mr. Walker, beating him into unconsciousness. Mr. Brandt panicked once he realized what he had done and dragged Mr. Walker to the alley where I discovered him."

"Mr. Brandt is lucky you _did_ discover Mr. Walker, otherwise his penalty would be more severe than it is," the Queen commented thoughtfully. "Why did Mr. Brandt confess? After all, he was not the one under suspicion."

The Royal Advisor hid a grimace, remembering the interview with Zero quite clearly. "It is my understanding that he felt so guilty and wretched about hurting Mr. Walker, who had treated him with nothing but kindness that he finally asked to speak with the Tin Man chief, intending to make his confession."

"Instead, he confessed to Mr. Cain, correct?" Violetta asked, having heard some rumors about the spontaneous confession already.

Amber Rose nodded, still feeling a little surprised and shocked over witnessing the rather extraordinary event. "Yes, Violetta. He was aware of Mr. Cain's relationship with Mr. Walker and encountering him so suddenly brought it all out."

"I see." The Queen sat back in her chair, considering for several moments. She soon returned her attention to the Royal Advisor. "Thank you for keeping me aware of these events."

She nodded, smiling faintly as she rose to her feet. "You're welcome."

Violetta reached up and caught Amber Rose's hand. "What about Mr. Topple? Is he being dealt with appropriately?"

"Yes." The Royal Advisor patted the Queen's hand reassuringly. "The Chief has promised to take care of the problem. She said he hasn't followed proper procedure before, but I was the first to actually complain about it."

The other woman nodded and released her friend's hand, rising to her feet. "Good." As they walked to the door together, she asked, "Are there any further pressing matters that need to be addressed today?"

"None that I know of, Majesty." Though they exited the room together, Amber Rose walked on Violetta's left side, a pace behind her.

The Queen nodded, her voice sounding satisfied. "Good. Come, let's visit Princess Azkadellia together. I'm sure she would love to see her Aunt."

"Yes, Majesty." The Royal Advisor smiled, looking forward to seeing the two-year-old princess. It was probably the closest she was going to get to having children of her own.

* * *

As the years passed, Amber Rose became a good friend of not only Wyatt, but Adair as well. The two men enjoyed talking with her, as she could talk knowledgeably about many things, but always in such a way that neither felt stupid about what they didn't know. She often brought inventions for them to 'field test' for her, most of which she left with them once the 'testing' was finished.

One evening, Wyatt found Amber Rose sitting and talking with Adair when he got home from work. "How are you this evening, Amber Rose?"

"I am well, Wyatt, thank you." She smiled, watching as Adair rose to take Wyatt's hat, coat, and gun, hanging them up for him. "And you?"

"Better now that I'm home," he answered, sharing a soft kiss with his lover. "How are you, Adair?"

The taller man smiled, running his fingers through the shorter man's blond hair. "Better with you home now."

"You're just saying that," Wyatt teased, resting his hands on Adair's hips.

The brunette shook his head, leaning in to kiss the blond again, deeper this time. "I'm always happiest with you."

"Sap," he accused with gentle fondness.

Adair lightly rubbed his nose against Wyatt's. "You know you love it."

"Okay, you lovebirds," Amber Rose gently broke in. "I had a reason for coming by today other than enjoying your company."

The two men sat down on the couch opposite her chair. Wyatt gestured for her to proceed. "What brings you to our humble home tonight?"

"The Queen just told me today that she and the King Consort are expecting another child," Amber Rose informed them with a smile.

Despite the smile, Wyatt noticed a shadow in Amber Rose's brown eyes. "Is there something wrong with the Queen having another child?"

"Oh, no." Amber Rose shook her head quickly. "I'm very happy for the Royal family. Ahamo and Violetta were both only children and have wanted to have more than one."

Adair raised an eyebrow, asking with a wry smile, "What about the Princess?"

"Azkadee has wanted a little brother or sister for ages." No shadow crossed the Royal Advisor's eyes this time. "She's delighted to be a big sister."

Wyatt felt Adair's hand cover his and squeezed it gently. "Please give our congratulations to the Queen and the rest of the Royal family."

"I will." Amber Rose nodded and, for a brief moment, the Tin Man thought her eyes looked wet. He dismissed the idea the next instant because there was no sign of tears in them as the three of them continued to talk.

* * *

To escape the oppressive heat of Central City in the middle of the summer, a majority of the wealthier citizens left for cooler climates. The Royal family was no exception, especially this year, with the Queen due to give birth in just a few months. They traveled to Finaqua, as they always did, and spent the first day re-exploring the summer palace.

That night, however, Amber Rose had trouble getting to sleep, as she usually did when she changed her residence. Instead of fight it, she made her way down to the kitchen to have a little snack. When she reached it, she was surprised to find the Queen there, eating a slice of cheesecake. "Oh, your Majesty! I didn't expect to find you here."

"It's all right, Amber Rose. Please come in." Violetta gestured for her friend to continue into the kitchen. "I knew you'd come eventually."

"You know me too well." The Royal Advisor went to the K.C.F.C.S.U. and pulled out a red and green apple.

The Queen watched as the other woman chopped the apple and added a dollop of peanut butter to her plate. "After all these years, I should _hope_ I'd know you well enough to predict small habits like this one."

"Of course." Amber Rose carried her plate to the table and sat down across from Violetta. "Does the cheesecake still taste fine?"

The Queen nodded and used her magic to cut off a bite and offer it to the Royal Advisor. "Yes, but why don't you try it for yourself."

"Thank you, Violetta." Amber Rose leaned forward to eat the cheesecake. "I'd say I got all of the bugs worked out of the K.C.F.C.S.U. this time."

Violetta nodded, continuing to eat. "It certainly seems so."

The two women ate in silence for a few moments, enjoying their midnight snacks. It didn't really surprise the Royal Advisor when the Queen finished hers first. However, she didn't immediately get up to return to bed, which _did_ surprise her friend. Swallowing her bite of apple, Amber Rose asked, "Did you have something you wished to discuss me?"

"I did, yes." Violetta smiled wryly. "I've been having the same dream for about a month now. I think it's a premonition."

A dark eyebrow arched and the Royal Advisor leaned forward, brown eyes meeting lavender. "What is it about?"

"At first, all I see are two dolls spinning in the air, one in a pink dress, the other in a green dress," the Queen began without further prompting. That, more than anything else told Amber Rose that Violetta had deliberately come to the kitchen to speak with her. "As they spin, the green doll stops short and starts to fall. I reach out to catch it, but another hand catches it first. After a few moments, the doll rights itself and starts to spin again. That's when I woke up."

The Royal Advisor listened without interrupting. After a few moments of silence, she asked, "Do you have any idea what the dream means?"

"None yet," the Queen admitted, lavender eyes troubled. "I read through all of the books on Seeing dreams in the Central City palace and I intend to do the same here."

"Would you like me to help?" Amber Rose made the offer almost on instinct, but it didn't make it any less sincere.

Violetta nodded, her smile relieved. "Yes, please. Some of the books are up high, where I can't get at them." She gently stroked her pregnancy-swollen stomach.

"That's what your magic is for," she gently teased.

As she'd intended, her friend laughed. "I'd also like the chance to spend more time with you, Amber Rose."

"I'm honored and flattered, Violetta."

"It is _I_ who is honored and flattered."

"Then it's mutual."

They laughed together and the Queen excused herself a few moments later. Left by herself, the Royal Advisor frowned with thought, pondering the dream and what it could mean.

* * *

A few months later, Wyatt was the first to arrive home. He'd hardly begun to cook dinner when a knock on the door distracted him. Wondering who it could be, he went to answer it and smiled when he saw his visitor. "Amber Rose. The Royal family has returned to Central City, then?"

"Yes, we returned a little earlier than we originally planned to." The Royal Advisor entered at a gesture from the Tin Man.

He took her coat and hung it on the A.C.H.A.G.R. she'd designed and built. "Will you join us for dinner? I can cook for three as easily as two."

"Thank you; that would be nice." She smiled, brushing her curls back from her face. "Is Adair home yet?"

Wyatt shook his head, going into the kitchen to continue his preparations. "No, not yet, though he should be any minute now."

"Good. I have news and I'd rather not share it twice when once will suffice." She perched on a stool in the corner to watch as he cooked.

At first, her habit of watching him had unnerved Wyatt, but he'd grown used to it, because it was her way of learning how to cook. She could make fairly simple dishes now, but confessed that she still preferred working in her laboratory than in the kitchen. "So, are you going to give me any hints about this news you have to share?"

"No." Her tone was playful, but he knew she meant it. "You'll find out at the same time as Adair. I'm sure you'll be pleased when you hear it, though."

He laughed, and offered her a spoonful of sauce. "How does that taste?"

She steadied the spoon with a hand on his wrist as she tried the sauce. "Mmm. Good. You added something new to it, didn't you?"

"A little extra spice," he admitted, setting the sauce aside to simmer as he started the noodles. "We can't always afford it, but it was on special in the market, so I bought some to surprise him." He turned and pressed a finger to his lips. "So don't tell him before he tastes it."

Amber Rose smiled and nodded, pretending to zip her lips. "I won't breathe a word."

"Good." He turned back to check the pasta, just as the door of the apartment opened.

Wyatt smiled when Adair's voice floated into the kitchen. "Wyatt? Amber Rose?"

"In the kitchen, Adair," he called, placing a lid over the pan of sauce.

The blond turned to the kitchen doorway just as Adair appeared there, smiling. The brunette greeted his lover with a sweet kiss before turning to their friend. "Hello, Amber Rose."

"Hello, Adair." She offered her hand to him and he kissed the back.

"What brings you here?" he asked, going to the K.C.F.C.S.U. to retrieve the fixings for a salad.

Rising to her feet, Amber Rose extracted plates, knives, and forks from the cupboards. She always insisted on setting the table. "I have news to share with you both and Wyatt was kind enough to invite me for dinner as well."

Adair nodded, putting the salad together while Wyatt mixed the pasta and sauce together. "I bet you didn't tell Wyatt the news and he's been curious ever since."

"That's not a bet at all," she retorted with a laugh, putting everything in place. "He can be as bad as a cat."

Wyatt set the pasta on the table while Adair placed the salad next to it. "'He' is right here, you know."

"We're just teasing," Amber Rose told him, patting a broad shoulder as she passed him on her way to the K.C.F.C.S.U.

Adair slipped his arms around Wyatt's waist and kissed his cheek. "And we only tease you because we love you, right, Amber Rose?"

"Right, Adair." For a moment, the Tin Man thought the Royal Advisor's voice had trembled, but decided he'd imagined it when her voice was perfectly steady as she poured the wine she'd brought with her. "We wouldn't tease you if we didn't love you."

He shook his head fondly as Adair helped her carry the wineglasses to the table and set them by their plates. "That's what you _always_ say."

"Do you doubt us?" Adair asked as he held Amber Rose's chair out for her.

Wyatt shook his head as he held Adair's chair for _him_. "No, I don't doubt your feelings at all. Just your motivations."

"I think that's supposed to be a good thing," the brunette commented to Amber Rose as the blond took his seat.

She nodded as she spread her napkin in her lap. "I think you're right."

"All right, you two," he broke in with a playful growl, making them laugh. "Are we going to eat or chat?"

The two brunettes exchanged glances before answering in chorus. "Eat!"

"I'm surrounded by comedians." Wyatt pretended to be annoyed, but he couldn't hide the smile on his face.

His smile grew when Adair tasted the sauce. His brown eyes widened and he grinned with delight. "You added sheyroot!"

"Yes, I did. I knew you'd like it." His lover leaned over to kiss his cheek, further proving that he liked his surprise.

The rest of dinner passed in relative silence. One by one, they pushed their plates away, full of the delicious meal. Adair refilled their glasses before turning to Amber Rose. "What's this news you have to share?"

"The Queen gave birth earlier than the medicos predicted," Amber Rose explained, half-rising from her seat to pull an envelope out of the pocket of her skirt. "Though the Viewer the Queen spoke to said the new Princess would arrive right around this time."

The Royal Advisor handed Wyatt the envelope. He raised an eyebrow at her and she nodded. Shrugging, he opened the envelope and withdrew an elegant invitation. At the top was the official coat of arms of the Queen. Written in an elegant hand below the coat of arms was an invitation to a ball celebrating the birth of Princess Doratheagael. After reading the invitation, Wyatt handed it to Adair and asked, "We're invited?"

"Yes. I'm always allowed to invite someone to the balls, but I've never really wanted to," Amber Rose explained. "Not until we became friends, anyway." She glanced down, fidgeting with her glass of wine. "I hope you'll come."

Adair nudged Wyatt. He looked at his lover questioningly. The taller man nodded, brown eyes bright with delight. Turning back to the woman, the shorter man told her, "We'll be there."


	8. Hairpin Bend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ball has arrived.

The day of the ball arrived and found the Royal Advisor too restless and fidgety to settle down to her usual pursuits. She wouldn't admit it to anyone, but she was nervous about the ball; part of her worried that Wyatt and Adair wouldn't go to the ball after all. The Queen gently pointed out that Amber Rose hadn't spent much time with Azkadellia recently and that the Princess would love to see her 'Auntie Rose'.

She took the hint gladly, only then realizing how much she'd missed her 'Azkadee'. She made her way to the nursery and a pink-clad missile launched itself at her. "Auntie Rose!"

"Hello, Princess Azkadee!" Amber Rose caught Azkadellia easily, returning her hug.

"Az, that's not how a Princess is supposed to act," Ahamo scolded, though his eyes danced with laughter.

The Princess in question turned to her father with a pout. "I missed Auntie Rose."

"It's okay when we're in private, but try to remember in public, all right?" Ahamo smiled and gently smoothed Azkadellia's hair back from her face.

She nodded, flinging her arms around him in a tight hug. "Okay, Father."

"That's my brown-eyed girl." The King Consort returned the hug, smiling fondly. Ever since the Princess' eyes had darkened to brown from the blue all babies were born with, he'd taken to calling her that. When he'd been questioned about it, he said it was a reference to a song from the Other Side. He looked at the Royal Advisor. "I'll leave you two ladies to play, then."

Amber Rose smiled and blushed a little when he kissed her cheek. After he left, she turned to Azkadellia. "What should we do, Princess Azkadee?"

"Can we go out into the gardens?" the Princess asked, taking one of the Royal Advisor's hands in both of her little ones.

Chuckling, the woman patted the girl's hands with her free one. "I don't know: _can_ we go out to the gardens?"

" _May_ we go out into the gardens?" Azkadellia giggled, tugging on Amber Rose's hand.

Nodding, she let herself be towed out to the elegant gardens. "Yes, we may."

"Thank you!" They were soon wandering along the perfectly-tended walkways. After a few moments of silence, the little girl asked, "Auntie Rose, am I still special?"

The Royal Advisor stared at the Princess in surprise. Where had that come from? "Yes, of course you are, Azkadee. Why do you ask?"

"Everyone talks about Deege all the time," Azkadellia replied in a low voice, staring at the ground. "No one asks about me anymore."

Amber Rose brought them to a stop and crouched down so her brown eyes were level with the Princess'. "That's not completely true. Your parents always take time to play with you, right?"

"They're my parents," Azkadellia explained with exaggerated patience. "It's required."

The Royal Advisor shook her head, absently reaching up to brush away a lock of her hair that fell into her eyes. "No, they spend that time with you because they love you."

"They've been spending more time with Deege," the Princess protested, her lower lip beginning to shake a little.

Amber Rose reached up and tapped Azkadellia's lip. "Dorotheagael is a newborn and very helpless. She needs extra time and care because she can't do big girl things like dressing and feeding herself. She needs to have everything done _for_ her until she's big enough to do them herself." When the Princess still looked ready to pout, the Royal Advisor thought for a moment. "You can help her, too."

"How? No one lets me near her." Azkadellia's eyes were suspiciously moist as she almost wailed the question.

Amber Rose hid a smile. _That's the **real** problem, isn't it, Azkadee? You've looked forward to meeting your sister and now you don't get to see her at all..._ Instead of smiling, she tickled the Princess until she giggled. "You can help by offering to dress Dorotheagael and read to her to help her get to sleep. As she gets older, you can help show her how to do things for herself and play with her. How does that sound?"

"That sounds like fun," Azkadellia admitted with a smile, looking happier already.

The Royal Advisor hugged the Princess, relieved that she'd been able to show her the good side of having a little sister. "Good. Let's go talk to your mother about this, hmm?"

"Yes!" Azkadellia took Amber Rose's hand after she'd straightened up and they returned to the palace together.

* * *

"You're sure about this, Adair?" Wyatt asked as he brushed his lover's hair for him. "You didn't suggest this for my sake?"

Brown eyes met blue in the mirror. "I'm sure, Wyatt. She's a good friend and I genuinely like her. Are _you_ sure about it?"

"It wasn't my idea, I admit, but yes, I'm quite certain," the blond pointed out, deliberately returning his attention to the brown hair he'd been brushing.

Adair reached up and gently removed the brush from Wyatt's hands, turning to face him. "You may have second thoughts about sharing me with someone else."

"No, I know you love me and nothing will take that love away." He cupped Adair's face between his hands, gazing tenderly down at him. "Not even the addition of a third person."

Smiling warmly, Adair turned his head to press a kiss to each palm in turn. "That's exactly my thoughts on the matter. Love cannot be divided, only multiplied."

"What about children? Would you care who the father might be?" Wyatt gently brushed his thumbs across Adair's cheekbones.

The brunette shook his head, his smile still in place. "No. I would love them as if they were my own, whether they were or not."

Smiling in relief, Wyatt leaned down and kissed Adair softly. His kind and generous heart was one of the things he loved most about him. As he lifted his head, he caught sight of the clock. "We'd better hurry up or we won't be ready in time."

"If we did everything according to _your_ schedule, we'd be hours ahead of anybody else," Adair turned back to study his reflection in the mirror. "Relax, Wyatt. We still have time."

Wyatt rolled his eyes as he turned to get dressed. "If we did everything according to _your_ schedule, we'd be late all the time."

" _Fashionably_ late," Adair corrected with a grin as he began to dress as well. "And I'm not always late, by the way. Father would strangle me if I was late for work."

The Tin Man shook his head, slipping into his coat. "Work doesn't count. It's a different mindset completely from the rest of life."

"If you say so." The brunette finished dressing and examined his reflection in the full-length mirror. Then he turned to the blond. "What do you think?"

He looked at his lover and felt his mouth go dry. "How in the world am I going to keep my hands off you all night when you look like _that_?"

"I hoped that'd be your reaction," Adair replied with a grin and a wink. "Just think of the large audience you'd have if you tried anything with me at the ball."

Wyatt groaned. _I am going to die of sexual frustration before the night is over. I just know it!_

* * *

Amber Rose was pleased and relieved when she saw Wyatt and Adair among the guests as she entered the ballroom behind the Royal family, carefully cradling Princess Dorotheagael in her arms. At a sign from the Queen, Princess Azkadellia, wearing a beautiful dress, turned to the Royal Advisor and gently took her sister into her arms. An expression of awe on her face, she took a few moments to really _look_ at her sister. She then carefully handed the baby to her father. He gazed fondly down at her, rocking her gently. Finally, he gave his daughter to his wife, standing by her side as she presented the Princess to the assembled guests. "Lords, Ladies, Honored Guests. We present to you Our second daughter, Princess Dorotheagael."

Their guests bowed or curtsied before applauding. The noise disturbed the baby, who began to fuss. Amber Rose started forward to take her new goddaughter, but Violetta shook her head at her friend, cradling the girl to her. "Shall I have the musicians start playing while you settle the Princess, Majesty?"

"If you would, my friend?" The Queen briefly touched the Royal Advisor's shoulder.

"Of course." Amber Rose curtsied as the Royal Family left the way they had come. She turned and gestured to the orchestra conductor. He nodded in reply and music soon began to waft around the ballroom.

She wanted to dance--her feet fairly itched with the urge--but she remained at her post by the empty throne. Only when the Queen had returned would the Royal Advisor be allowed to join in the dancing. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw Adair and Wyatt move past, with eyes only for each other. _They're both so handsome..._ Her heart stopped when both men looked at her and winked. She frowned as she watched them continue on their way. _That was odd. They don't normally do things like that..._

"Thank you for waiting, Miss Advisor." Ahamo's voice distracted Amber Rose from her puzzle a few minutes later.

Turning quickly, she curtsied as the Queen and King Consort took their seats, her hand resting over his. "Not at all, Majesties. If I may be excused?"

"You may, old friend." Violetta smiled and gestured towards the crowded floor. "Enjoy yourself. I know how much you like to dance."

"Thank you, Majesty." Smiling, Amber Rose curtsied again and made her way to the dance floor, unconsciously moving to the music already.

Closing her eyes, she moved to the middle of the floor and began to dance, letting the music take her away. She startled when she felt someone join her, smoothly taking her in his arms without disrupting her rhythm. A familiar voice whispered in her ear, "Good evening, Amber Rose."

"Hello, Mr. Walker," she opened her eyes to smile up at the brunette. It turned sheepish when he raised an eyebrow at her. "Sorry Adair."

He chuckled as he spun her out, and then back in. "That's all right. I understand that you need to be formal for your work."

"I'm not working right now," she told him, her heart skipping a beat when he drew her closer to him. _Stop it, Amber Rose. He doesn't realize what he's doing..._ "I just forgot myself for a brief moment."

Adair nodded, guiding her expertly around the floor. "Understandable."

The song ended at that moment and he released her, applauding politely. Amber Rose saw Wyatt approaching and took a step back from Adair, not sure what the Tin Man was thinking. When he reached them, the blond was smiling. Her heartbeat sped up when he bowed to her instead of his lover. "May I have this dance, Miss Amber Rose?"

"You may, provided you drop the 'Miss'," she replied, slipping her hand into his larger one as Adair kissed his cheek.

"Gladly." He grinned and they started dancing. She hardly noticed Adair slipping away among the other dancers. "Will the Queen require the Royal Advisor's services again tonight?"

She shook her head, wondering at his question. "No. My time is my own for the rest of tonight."

"Good to know," Wyatt guided her around the floor. Perhaps not with the same skill Adair had demonstrated, but he was no slouch as a dancer.

Amber Rose blinked in surprise a few minutes later when they danced out onto the terrace. As Wyatt smoothly moved from dancing to walking with her, she lifted her head to let the cool breeze brush across her warm cheeks. "You look a little overheated, Amber Rose. Would you like something to drink?"

"Thank you, Adair." She was only slightly surprised to find Adair already on the terrace, with a drink for each of them. Keeping her eyes lowered demurely, Amber Rose accepted the cool glass and sipped it as she watched the two men.

As he accepted his glass, Wyatt leaned in to kiss Adair, sweet and soft, though she thought there was a slight edge to it, as if the Tin Man was firmly restraining himself from taking things a step further. Not that she blamed him. Both men looked _very_ good in their formal attire. _It's a wonder they've managed to keep their hands off each other for **this** long tonight..._

After the kiss, Adair rested his forehead against Wyatt's, brown eyes gazing into blue. After a moment, the blond nodded and gently pulled back. The brunette turned to her. "Amber Rose, we have some questions we'd like to ask you."

"What is it?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"Do you love Wyatt?" he asked, brown eyes gazing intently at her.

She froze, her heart thudding almost painfully against her ribs. "What would you do if I said yes?"

"Then I'd ask if you love Adair," Wyatt answered, blue eyes just as piercing as Adair's.

Looking from one to the other, she whispered, "The answer to both questions is yes."

"We thought so." Both men were grinning.

Amber Rose stared at them in confusion and with realization beginning to niggle at her. "What do you mean?"

"Wyatt and I would be greatly honored and extremely happy if you would consent to join us," Adair told her, his voice serious and his eyes shining. "In our love, our lives, and our bed."


	9. At a Crossroads

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amber Rose needs time to think.

"Wyatt and I would be greatly honored and extremely happy if you would consent to join us," Adair told Amber Rose, his voice serious and brown eyes shining with affection. "In our love, our lives, and our bed."

For his part, the Tin Man remained quiet. He'd been stunned when Adair had told him _why_ Zero had suggested that the Royal Advisor was the one who'd attacked the warehouse manager. That had certainly surprised him because he hadn't expected the woman who'd feuded with him for years to suddenly turn around and find him _attractive_. But then she continued coming by with inventions for them to 'field test', which they soon determined were her form of courting gifts. At first, she only brought inventions that would benefit Wyatt, but then she started bringing things for Adair, too. Finally, one night, after Amber Rose had gone home after spending an evening with them, Adair brought up something that Wyatt had only vaguely considered...

_"Wyatt, how do you feel about Amber Rose?" Adair's voice distracted him as he pulled out a set of pajamas._

_Turning to his lover, who was fiddling with the buttons of his shirt, Wyatt raised an eyebrow. "I like her. She's a good friend."_

_"Is it just friendship you feel for her?" The taller man asked, shrugging out of his shirt._

_The blond raised the other eyebrow. "Why are you even asking? I'd never cheat on you, not even with Amber Rose."_

_"What if it wasn't cheating?" Adair's face was momentarily hidden from view as he pulled on his pajama shirt._

_Blue eyes stared as the brunette's head emerged from the neck hole of the pajama shirt. "How can it **not** be cheating?"_

_"Simple." Adair let his trousers slide to the floor and prowled over to where Wyatt stood, a predatory gleam in his brown eyes. "I approve of the relationship."_

_His heart pounded in his chest as his lover leaned in to kiss him, warm and deep. When the kiss ended, Wyatt took a moment to catch his breath before asking, "Why would you approve? It takes me away from **you**."_

_"Not necessarily," Adair shook his head, smirking as he peered at the shorter man through lowered eyelashes. "She's been having **both** of us 'field test' her inventions."_

_"You've been putting a lot of thought into this," Wyatt commented as his partner looped his fingers through the belt loops of his pants and gently tugged him over to the bed._

_The grin that he received in reply was utterly filthy and **very** arousing, making it more difficult for Adair to get Wyatt out of his pants. "She's very beautiful and a truly good person. I love her as much as I love you."_

_"So, she wouldn't be a bit on the side for one of us, then." He tugged off the pajama shirt and tossed it into one corner of the room._

_The expression on his lover's face made it quite clear that the statement had been unnecessary. "She wants both of us. I want both of you." Brown eyes met blue steadily. "What do **you** want?"_

_"You," Wyatt moaned, stretching up to kiss Adair hungrily._

_Unfortunately, he only responded for a moment before gently pushing him back. " **Both** of us?"_

_"Let me think about it." He was ashamed to realize later that he'd whined the next part. "Later?"_

_Grinning, Adair had tumbled Wyatt onto the bed the next moment and neither had done much thinking before they'd eventually fallen asleep..._

Wyatt had thought about it later and realized that Amber Rose had burrowed her way into his heart. Once he'd said as much to Adair, they'd agreed to ask her about joining them in a proper three-way relationship. Judging by the stunned expression on the Royal Advisor's face, she'd never considered that they would ask her to join them. After a moment of silence, Wyatt told her, "We don't expect a reply tonight, if you want some time to think it over."

"Thank you for that, because I must admit that you two caught me off-guard," she admitted with a shy smile, looking from one to the other.

"Of course, and that's why we're more than willing to give you time to think about it," Adair assured her with a fond smile, lightly resting his hand on hers.

She nodded and excused herself after a few moments of awkward silence. The two men turned to each other once they were alone. "Do you think she'll say yes?"

"It may take her some time to wrap her head around the idea, but I think so." Adair nodded firmly. "She's been bringing inventions not only for you, but also for me, _and_ that both of us would use."

Wyatt shook his head in quiet amazement that his lover was so observant. "I'll trust your word on this, since I have no idea when someone's attracted to me."

"Hey, even I miss it sometimes," the brunette reminded him, slipping his arms around the blond's waist. "I had no idea Baldwin was attracted to me."

The Tin Man wrapped his arms around the warehouse manager's waist in return. "To be fair, he worked hard to hide his interest. Amber Rose didn't try _that_ hard."

"True." Adair kissed him softly. "Did you want to go back inside?"

Wyatt shook his head. "No. I want to stay out here for a little longer."

"Good."

* * *

"Auntie Rose?" Princess Azkadellia's voice disturbed the Royal Advisor's thoughts a week later. "Is something wrong?"

She shook her head, fondly stroking the princess' long dark hair. "No, nothing's wrong, Azkadee, but thank you for asking."

"You're welcome!" Her little face seemed to light up with her smile.

Amber Rose reached into her jacket and extracted something from the inside pocket. "I have a little something for you, actually. Close your eyes and hold out your hand."

"Will I like it?" Azkadellia asked, even as she obeyed her adopted aunt's instructions.

Chuckling at her niece's eagerness, the Royal Advisor carefully placed an object in the Princess' hand. "Open your eyes and find out for yourself."

The brown eyes opened and eagerly studied the doll Amber Rose had placed in her hand. No taller than the length of the Royal Advisor's hand, it had brown hair pulled into two braids and wore a deep emerald green dress. "Oh! It's beautiful! Thank you, Auntie Rose!"

"You're welcome, Princess Azkadee." Amber Rose laughed as she returned the girl's hug, squeezing gently. Unbidden, the thought came to her that she could have children of her own; a son or daughter of her own to make toys for and hug when they thanked her.

A small hand on her cheek drew her attention back to the little girl in her arms. "Why are you crying, Auntie Rose?"

"It's nothing," she assured the princess quickly. "I just got a speck of dust in my eye." She made a point of rubbing her eyes and smiled. "See? All better."

Azkadellia didn't look convinced, but she let it drop. Instead, she got to her feet and tugged on the Royal Advisor's hand. "Come on, let's go show Mother my doll!"

"Okay, okay." Laughing, Amber Rose got to her feet in a single smooth motion and let herself be led through the gardens to the arbor, where the Queen was gently rocking Dortheagael to sleep after her afternoon feeding.

Violetta looked up with a smile as the two approached. "Hello, Amber Rose, Azkadellia."

"Mother! Look what Auntie Rose made for me!" Azkadellia released the Royal Advisor's hand to show her mother the doll. "Isn't it beautiful?"

The Princess was still too young to notice certain things, but Amber Rose certainly noticed the way the blood seemed to drain from the Queen's face when she saw the doll. She quickly rallied herself and answered, "It's very beautiful, Azkadellia. Did you remember to thank Auntie Rose for the lovely gift?"

"Yes!" Azkadellia nodded happily. "She's the bestest aunt in the world."

Smiling softly, Violetta nodded and kissed her daughter's forehead. "She is. Now--" she carefully eased Dorotheagael into Azkadellia's arms "--why don't you and your sister go play with your father for a bit?"

"Yes, Mother!" Gently cradling her sister, the Princess disappeared towards the palace.

The Royal Advisor turned to the Queen once they were alone. "Is something wrong?"

"That's exactly what the dolls in my dream looked like," Violetta told her old friend quietly. "Right down to the embroidery on the dress and the expression painted on her face."

Amber Rose sank down onto the swing beside her friend, surprised. "I had no idea. I just felt this compulsion to make the doll for Azkadee. I realized afterwards that I'd given her a green dress, but I didn't think that it might look _exactly_ like the doll in your dream."

"It's all right." The Queen gently patted the Royal Advisor's hand. "Though I fear what this means for my dear Azkadellia."

The two women looked towards the palace, as if they could see the Princess through the very walls. "But what does it mean that the doll falls? Will she be gravely hurt or ill?"

"Those are two possible explanations." Violetta nodded, her expression serious. "Unfortunately, we cannot guess more than that."

Amber Rose nodded, too, sighing softly. _I hope whatever is won't be too much for Azkadee..._

"Is there something else on your mind, old friend?" The Queen's voice distracted the other woman from her thoughts.

"Hmm?" The Royal Advisor glanced at her friend. "Oh, no, there isn't anything else."

Violetta leaned close, an amused smile curving her lips. "You don't lie very well, Amber Rose."

"My apologies, Violetta," Amber Rose stood up and curtsied briefly.

The Queen patted the seat beside her on the swing. "Please sit and tell me about it."

"If you wish me to, I shall." The Royal Advisor resumed her seat and explained the proposal she had received from Wyatt and Adair, relieved to be able to talk with _someone_ about it. She ended with, "I'm really not sure if I should accept. I would feel as if I was coming between them."

After a few moments of silence, Violetta commented, "You underestimate yourself, my friend. You are very beautiful and I suspect I'd have been tempted by you if you'd been born a man." Amber Rose blushed at that, surprised. "Still, Mr. Cain and Mr. Walker have obviously not only seen your outward beauty, but also your inward beauty. They _both_ feel something for you and wish you to share in the love and happiness they have found together. I don't think you'd be coming between them."

_Unless I was in bed between them while we were..._ She quickly stopped that train of thought. "There's a lot of sense in that. Thank you, Vi."

"You're welcome, Amber." The Queen watched as the Royal Advisor rose to her feet and made her way into the palace.

* * *

Wyatt and Adair were enjoying a rare day off together when they were interrupted by the sound of someone knocking on the door. Groaning in annoyance, the Tin Man climbed out of bed and pulled his pants on. He padded to the front door, ready to tell whoever it was to go away. Then he found himself staring at Amber Rose, looking nervous but determined. "Hello, Wyatt. Is this a bad time to give you and Adair my answer?"

"No, not at all." He stepped back and gestured for her to come in.

The Royal Advisor entered and shut the door behind her, taking in Wyatt's appearance. "I hope I didn't disturb you at a too inopportune moment."

"No, not really." The blond took the coat she removed and hung it on the A.C.H.A.G.R. for her. He led her into the living room and gestured for her to have a seat. "If you'll just wait here, I'll go get Adair."

She nodded, sitting down on the sofa. "I'll be waiting."

"Good." He disappeared towards the bedroom. By the time he reached it, Adair had already pulled on his pants and a shirt. "Amber Rose is here."

His lover smiled wryly as he tossed Wyatt a shirt. "I already gathered as much."

"Smart ass," he murmured, pulling the shirt on and buttoning it as he followed Adair back to the living room.

The brunette chuckled and leaned down to kiss Amber Rose's hand. "Hello, Amber Rose. This is a pleasant surprise."

"I hoped it would be," she replied as Adair sat down at the other end of the sofa from her with Wyatt perching on the arm next to him. "I don't know if Wyatt told you, but I have an answer for you both."

They exchanged glances, and then looked back at the woman. "We're listening."

"My answer is yes."


	10. Choosing a Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amber Rose says yes.

"My answer is yes." Amber Rose's heart beat quickly and heavily in her chest as she waited for Wyatt and Adair's reaction.

Neither of them said anything at first, simply exchanging a glance she couldn't interpret. Then they looked back at her and Adair asked, "You are certain?"

"Very certain," she assured them, nervously twining her fingers together. "I admit that I _have_ thought about it in the past, but considered it only a passing fancy."

Adair slid closer on the sofa, gently covering her hands with his. "We're glad."

"We're happy together and you've fit in so well with us," Wyatt added, from where he'd perched on the arm of the sofa next to her. "We _want_ to share our happiness with you."

She gasped when Adair eased her into his lap, soon to be swallowed up in his warm kiss. Moaning against his lips, Amber Rose wound her arms around his shoulders, hardly noticing that Wyatt had sat down in her vacated spot and draped her legs across his lap. She arched her back when she felt a hand trail down from her shoulder to cup a breast through the fabric of her blouse. By the time Adair lifted his head, Amber Rose was breathless and light-headed, dizzy with desire. _If they can make me feel like this just with a kiss…_ She shivered with pleasure at the thought, tilting her head up as Wyatt leaned in to kiss her as well. His lips weren't as full as Adair's, but his tongue was just as talented, a callused hand resting along her jaw. A slender hand slid down her back to sneak under her blouse, teasing the skin along her spine. She arched again, pressing her breasts against Wyatt's muscular chest. A mutual moan of pleasure escaped them and Adair made a whining sound in response.

Chuckling, Wyatt pulled back and turned to kiss Adair, smoothing his hand down Amber Rose's side to her hip, warm and pleasant. Amber Rose watched them, heat pooling in her stomach. Lightly and delicately, she smoothed her hands over each chest, exploring the similarities and differences through their shirts. After a long moment, the men pulled apart and rested their foreheads together, simply gazing into each other's eyes. They nodded in unison and gently pulled her in to rest her forehead against theirs, too. She blinked back tears at being included in such an intimate moment. Quietly, Wyatt asked, "Did you want to take this to the bedroom, Amber Rose, or wait a little longer?"

"Oh, gods, please don't make me wait," she whispered, not sure how she could stand to return to the palace aching and wanting.

"We have no intentions of making you wait if you're ready now," Adair assured her with a soft laugh, lightly squeezing his arm around her waist.

She smiled, relieved. "Thank you."

"Given that, perhaps it's time we took this to the bedroom," Wyatt suggested, his blue eyes already darkening with desire.

Adair grinned and nodded. "I heartily agree."

"Oh, yes, please," Amber Rose added, getting to her feet and tugging on their hands.

Chuckling, the two men rose together and scooped her up into their arms, startling her. Wyatt explained as they started for what Amber Rose guessed was the bedroom. "We can't really have a proper wedding, but we can observe some of the rituals of the honeymoon."

"Just don't drop me, please," she requested, kissing first Wyatt's cheek, and then Adair's.

The brunette grinned as they turned slightly so they could fit through the doorway to the bedroom. "If we do, it'll be onto a soft surface."

"Soft surfaces are--eep!" She shrieked when they gently tossed her onto the bed. Once she'd recovered, she noticed that it was a mess and the sheets smelled not only of both men, but also of sex. Turning, she buried her face in the nearest pillow to drink in the scent. "Mmm."

She sighed deeply when she felt a warm body press up against her back. Judging by the wide shoulders and narrow hips, it was Wyatt. She wiggled her bottom when she felt warm hardness pressing against it. "I didn't know you were a tease, Amber Rose."

"I may tease--" she replied, shifting to smile coyly at him over her shoulder "--but I will _always_ satisfy."

Amber Rose turned her head when she felt Adair stretching out in front of her. His brown eyes were almost black as he cupped her cheek in one hand. "You realize we'll have to test that claim of yours, right?"

"Oh, I'm looking forward to it," she purred, pressing closer to him, gratified to feel a certain warm hardness against her stomach. "It seems you two will be quite able to satisfy, too."

Smirking, Adair started unbuttoning her blouse. Wyatt, in the meantime, swept her curls away from her neck and began nibbling and kissing the pale skin. Her eyelashes fluttered when Adair pushed the blouse aside and leaned in to kiss her breasts, tracing them with his tongue. With the two men doing their very best to distract and pleasure her, coherent thought abandoned Amber Rose and she, in turn, abandoned herself to the tender, loving mercies of her lovers. _This was the right decision..._

* * *

Wyatt woke first that evening from their impromptu nap. He smiled to see Amber Rose snuggled in Adair's arms, black curls a tangled mess. _That's going to be a problem later..._ Carefully, he extracted himself from the bed and pulled on his pants. Stretching a little, he went into the kitchen to begin making dinner. If there was one thing he knew about Adair, it was that he was _always_ hungry after an afternoon of lovemaking. He hummed to himself as he began mixing batter for pancakes, not even jumping when a pair of slender arms slipped around his waist. "What are you doing up?"

"Adair always wants food afterwards," Wyatt explained, setting the batter aside and pulling out the griddle, setting it to preheat. "Especially pancakes."

Amber Rose kissed Wyatt's back, right between his shoulder blades. "Mmm, you know the way to our hearts."

"You're hungry, too?" he asked with a grin, squeezing her hands briefly before he began spooning batter onto the griddle.

He felt her smile against his skin. "Mmm, but not exactly for food."

"Patience." He finished spooning the first batch of batter and set the bowl on the counter. Then he turned and pulled Amber Rose into a warm kiss.

She moaned and melted into the kiss, her arms tightening around his waist. After a few moments, Wyatt felt another pair of hands come to rest on his back and Amber Rose moaned again, louder this time. Lifting his head, he smirked at Adair, his eyes sleepy and his hair tousled. "Didn't even wait for me, did you?"

"Can you blame me when Wyatt looks so delicious?" Amber Rose asked as the blond turned to the stove to check on the pancakes.

Adair chuckled and Wyatt felt the loss when the other two moved away, though the sight of Amber Rose in Adair's shirt and nothing else sort of made up for it. The brunette smirked and kissed her cheek. "No, I can't blame you at all, Amber."

"Mmm, I like that nickname," she murmured, leaning into him as Wyatt continued to cook. "Just please don't call me Rose. That's the princesses' name for me."

Wyatt exchanged an amused glance with Adair. "We'll remember."

"Good." She sighed as Adair began nibbling at her neck.

The pancakes were finished not long afterwards, but not without some distraction on the cook's part. Instead of eating at the table, however, the two men had Amber Rose perch on the counter and the three of them fed each other bites of pancake, licking syrup off fingers and cheeks. Once the food was gone, Wyatt and Adair led Amber Rose to the bathroom. While Adair started the shower and adjusted the water temperature, Wyatt helped Amber Rose out of the shirt, kissing and licking along the way. She, in turn, helped both men out of their pants, her eyes gleaming when she saw that both were more than half-hard already.

Exchanging kisses and caresses, the trio climbed into the shower. Though the shower was meant to clean them up, they did more teasing and taunting than actual cleaning. Not that any of them really minded. It was much more fun than showering alone. By the time they turned the shower off and tumbled into bed, they were more than ready for more lovemaking.

* * *

Amber Rose woke slowly, muscles pleasantly sore, and comfortably ensconced between two warm male bodies. Smiling, she stretched up and kissed Wyatt's temple and Adair's cheek. That done, she carefully eased out from between them, gathered up her clothes, and slipped into the bathroom to get ready for the day. She'd have loved nothing better than to stay with Wyatt and Adair, but she had to get back to the palace. She grunted when she realized how tangled her hair had gotten. _Stupid curls!_

"Amber?" Wyatt's voice accompanied the knock on the door. "Can I come in?"

She nodded even though he couldn't see her through the door. "Yes, it's all right, Wyatt."

"Something wrong?" he asked, opening the door and slipping inside.

"My hair is a mess." She tugged at the tangled curls. "I hadn't thought it could get this bad."

Wyatt stood behind her, gazing her in the mirror. "I thought about that last evening, but you two distracted me a little."

"A little?" She arched an eyebrow, turning to look up at him directly.

He laughed, leaning down to kiss the tip of her nose. "Okay, a lot."

"It's going to be a nightmare to untangle," she sighed, turning back to the mirror.

Wyatt grabbed her hand and gently tugged. "Come on. I think Adair and I can help with that."

"Any help would be appreciated." She followed him into the bedroom, where Adair was waiting with hairbrushes. "You planned this?"

He grinned and guided her to sit down at the dressing table. "Of course. It's all part of being with us. It's not just about the sex."

"Though that _was_ amazing," Adair added as they began to brush her hair, patiently untangling the curls. "You'll certainly have to visit more often."

Amber Rose blushed and smiled. "Thank you. I certainly plan to do that."

"We look forward to it," Wyatt replied, focusing on the curls in front of him.

Not only did Wyatt and Adair successfully untangle Amber Rose's curls, but they managed it without too much tugging. Her hair taken care of, the Royal Advisor finished getting ready, but hesitated at the door. She turned to look at them, already missing them. Without a word, they reached out and she stepped into their embrace, wrapping her arms around them. "I'll come back as soon as I can."

"You're always welcome here," Adair murmured, kissing her forehead.

Wyatt kissed her cheek. "You don't even have to knock anymore."

"Thanks." She kissed each of them sweetly and softly before forcing herself to leave.

She drove back to the palace and thanked the footman who opened the door for her, handing him the keys. He took them while she climbed the steps to re-enter the palace. "I take it your meeting went well?"

"Hello, Majesty." The Royal Advisor curtsied to the Queen, her cheeks warm. "Yes, my meeting went _quite_ well."

Violetta smiled as she stepped forward and slipped her arm through her friend's. "I'm glad to hear it. I can see already that you're very happy."

"The hardest part was leaving," Amber Rose admitted as they made their way to the Royal Family's private rooms. "I've always felt at home with them, but even more so now."

The Queen didn't answer right away, looking thoughtful for a few moments. Once they'd entered the private apartments, she asked, "Do you think they would be willing to move to the palace?"

"I don't know, Vi." The Royal Advisor considered that idea. "I think they'd only agree if they felt they had earned it in some way."

Violetta smiled playfully. "They've made you very happy. I'd say they've earned it."

Amber Rose blushed deeply at that. "I can suggest the idea to them, but something tells me they won't agree."

"Well, as the Royal Advisor, your presence in or near the palace is required," the Queen pointed out gently. "Perhaps they'd agree to live in the little cottage on the grounds?"

She smiled, rather liking the way her friend thought. "I think they would agree to that."

"That's good to know." Violetta returned the smile and they continued on to join the rest of the Royal Family.


	11. Changing Direction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their journey together begins.

On their next day off together, Wyatt and Adair made their way to a familiar jewelry store. It was the same one where they'd bought rings for each other, albeit separately. "Mr. Cain, Mr. Walker, this is a pleasant surprise." The salesgirl, named Jessica, smiled warmly at the two men as they approached the counter. "What brings you here?"

"We need a ring," Adair explained with his typical friendly smile.

Wyatt lightly rested his right hand on the small of Adair's back, smiling quietly. "It's for a good friend of ours."

"Would this be a gentleman or a lady?" Jessica asked, her cheeks a little flushed.

Adair chuckled. "A beautiful lady, a couple inches shorter than Wyatt here, quite slender and fine-boned."

"You seem to have observed her closely," Jessica commented as she turned to one of the locked display cases to retrieve a tray of rings.

Wyatt glanced at his lover with a fond grin. "As I said, she's a good friend."

"A very good friend," Adair added as Jessica set the tray on the counter before them.

Almost without thinking, the two men casually positioned their left hands beside the tray. Aside from a difference in size, their rings were almost identical: both plain silver bands with a single gem set into the top: aquamarine for Adair and ruby for Wyatt. It had been no end of amusement when they'd exchanged them along with their vows. Now, though, it made it easier to choose a ring for Amber Rose. As they perused the rings in the tray, about half were rejected for being too ostentatious or showy. Half of the rest were rejected for not being right for Amber Rose. This left half a dozen that they perused very carefully. After some quiet deliberation, they finally chose a delicate silver band with two gems set into the top. Wyatt caught Jessica's eye once they were agreed. "We'd like to buy this one."

"Do you have the lady's ring size?" she asked, making a note of the ring style. "And which gems would you like to have put in?"

Adair thought for a moment. "She wears a size six ring and we'd like one gem to be aquamarine and the other ruby."

"It shouldn't take too long for the ring to be ready," Jessica told them once she'd finished writing the information down. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

After exchanging a glance with Adair, Wyatt asked, "Is there any way a second gem could be added to my ring?"

"May I see it?" she asked, politely extending her hand. He nodded and removed the ring, handing it to her. Jessica studied it closely, her expression thoughtful. "Yes, I believe it can be done."

Adair smiled and removed his ring as well. "We'd like to have amethysts added to each of our rings, then."

"And for this saying to be engraved on the inside of each band." Wyatt wrote down the quote they had agreed on and handed the paper to Jessica.

She remained silent as she wrote down everything, including the quote. "Is that all, then?"

"Yes, that's everything." Adair nodded. "We can pay ten percent of the cost now and the rest when we pick up the rings."

Jessica nodded, making a note of that on the form. "You'll be contacted when the rings are ready. Did you want to pick them up all together, or whenever they're ready?"

"We can wait until all three are ready," Wyatt replied.

She nodded again and made a note of that. "All right, your ten percent is fifty platinums."

"Right here." Adair pulled out his wallet and withdrew a fifty-platinum bill, offering it to Jessica.

Gray eyes widening slightly, she took the bill and examined it carefully before putting it in the cash box. "Thank you for your time and business, Mr. Cain, Mr. Walker."

"Have a good day, Miss Jessica." Wyatt tipped his hat to her.

Adair waved. "Take care, Miss Jessica."

They paused outside the shop. "Are you sure we can afford that much?"

"For Amber Rose, we can afford anything," Adair assured him, kissing his temple.

Wyatt chuckled, linking their hands. "A good point."

"Come on, she'll be wondering where we disappeared to if we're not home when she gets there." Tugging on Wyatt's hand, Adair led the way back towards their apartment.

Smiling, Wyatt let himself be tugged along. _I wish there was a way we could be together more often..._

* * *

Amber Rose smiled to herself when she heard the door of the apartment open. Wyatt's voice floated to her first. "Well, her coat's here, so she can't be far."

"Where else would she be while she's waiting for us?" Adair's voice floated to her next, sounding fondly exasperated.

Her smile had turned sultry by the time the two men appeared in the doorway, blue and brown eyes gleaming with pleasure. "Hello, Gentlemen."

"Hello, Amber." Wyatt approached the bed first, virtually prowling across it to give her a deep kiss that left her dizzy and breathless.

Before she could catch her breath, Adair caught her lips in another kiss, just as deep and passionate as Wyatt's had been. "Hello, Amber."

"We really need to do this more often," she commented once she'd caught her breath.

Wyatt, who'd settled on one hip to her right, was the first to comment, "Adair and I can't afford the apartments closer to palace right now. Give us a few months at least."

"Unless you're talking about us moving to the palace?" Adair raised an eyebrow from where he'd settled half in Wyatt's lap, half in hers.

Amber Rose shook her head. "The Queen suggested it, but I told her you two would probably refuse." Both men nodded, looking amused. "There's a small cottage on the palace grounds that she suggested in lieu of moving into the palace."

"Would we be free to come and go?" Adair asked, half sitting up as he asked the question.

She nodded this time. "Of course. You wouldn't be prisoners. The Queen considers you two part of the family as it is."

"She does?" Wyatt stared at her in obvious surprise.

Adair sat up fully at that. "Family?"

"Yes." She smiled as she reached up to stroke Wyatt's cheek and Adair's chin. "The Royal family is my family, so now you're part of it."

Worry snuck in as Amber Rose watched the men exchange a glance she couldn't quite interpret. Though she'd grown even more adept at reading them since they'd become a proper triad a month ago, it would still take time to be able to understand _all_ of their expressions. Finally, they turned back to her. Adair spoke first. "We hadn't realized how close you are to the Queen."

"Do you regret asking?" She wanted to grab the sentence and stuff it back in her mouth once she said it, but it was too late. Amber Rose could only wait nervously for their answer.

Wyatt provided it this time while Adair leaned in to kiss her temple. "No, never."

"Will you consider moving into the cottage?" she asked, looking from one to the other hopefully. "I miss you both so much when I can't get away."

The blond hugged her and kissed her cheek while the brunette answered for both of them, "We miss you, too."

"At least you have each other," she muttered, even as she leaned into Wyatt's reassuring warmth.

The Tin Man shook his head. "It's not quite the same without you anymore."

"You're part of us now." Adair shifted to press against her back, nuzzling at the spot behind her ear with his nose. "We're not complete without you."

She turned enough to meet his eyes, seeing his sincerity in their depths. Touched, she could only whisper, "Thank you," and kiss them both.

* * *

A couple weeks later, Wyatt and Adair stood in the living room of the cottage in question. Adair murmured to Wyatt, "It's not quite what I pictured when she said 'cottage'."

"I know." Wyatt nodded his agreement, unconsciously seeking Adair's hand with his.

Amber Rose appeared in the entryway opposite the foyer, smiling shyly as she faced them. "I'm sorry if this seems a bit much. The Queen insisted on renovating the cottage before she'd let me suggest that we move in."

"What was it before?" Wyatt asked, sharing a curious glance with Adair.

The Royal Advisor reached them and slipped her arm through Adair's. "A living/dining area with a corner set off for sleeping."

"Mmm, sounds cozy," Adair commented with a grin as she began leading them back the way she'd come.

Instead of turning left to go to the room she'd come from, though, Amber Rose turned right, leading them into the master bedroom. She turned to face them as she continued her explanation. "I'd just planned on adding a few rooms as they were needed, but Violetta insisted."

"Wow, I'm glad she did." Wyatt couldn't help staring at the huge four-poster bed that seemed to dominate the room.

Adair walked over to check the mattress, testing its firmness. "Will it hold all three of us?"

"Yes, and it's designed to withstand a great deal of stress," Amber Rose smirked as she perched demurely on the edge of the bed. "It's based on my design for the Queen and King Consort's bed, allowing, of course, for the fact that there's three of us instead of two."

Adair stretched out beside her on the bed, an eyebrow arched curiously. "You designed a _bed_ for the Queen and her husband?"

"Yes." She nodded, smiling fondly. "They're very passionate in their love for each other."

Wyatt leaned a shoulder against the post beside them. "Somehow, I can't imagine the Queen being very passionate."

"That's because you've only seen her in her capacity as Queen of the O.Z." Amber Rose lay back, stretching her arms above her head. "As a wife and mother, she is very loving and affectionate."

Lightly resting his hand on Amber Rose's stomach, Adair glanced up at Wyatt. "You're an almost completely different person when you're at work, Wyatt."

"Am I?" He watched with amusement as Adair began to rub Amber Rose's stomach in small circles, making her close her eyes and arch up into his touch.

Brown eyes twinkling with shared amusement at Amber Rose's response, Adair nodded. "Yes. You're mister big, tough, Tin Man without any heart at all."

"Thank goodness that's a lie," Amber Rose added, turning her head to gaze him with half-lidded eyes, a pleased smile curving her lips.

Wyatt braced one hand on the bed as he leaned down to kiss her warmly. She made a sound in her throat similar to a purr and wound her arms around his shoulders to pull him down onto the bed with them. He smiled against her lips when he felt Adair lean in to kiss the back of his neck. _This cottage thing just might work out..._

* * *

"I can tell that Wyatt and Adair living in the cottage agrees with you, Amber Rose," the Queen observed a few days later.

The Royal Advisor blushed even as she smiled in reply. "Yes, it's been marvelous, Violetta. I thought I was happy before, but this outstrips that by far."

"Wait until you have your own children," Violetta told her friend with a fond smile. "Your happiness will increase by leaps and bounds."

Amber Rose nodded, unconsciously smoothing a hand over her stomach at the thought of carrying Wyatt or Adair's child. "I'm sure you're quite right."

"Have you three discussed children at all?" This was asked in a quiet voice, the Queen's lavender eyes concerned.

The other woman shook her head. "Not yet. From things they've said, though, Wyatt and Adair will love any children, regardless of which of them is the father."

"That's reassuring," Violetta commented with a soft laugh as they reached the entryway. "Have a good evening, my friend."

Amber Rose smiled and hugged her friend. "You, too, Vi."

"I intend to." The Queen patted the Royal Advisor's shoulder and watched her disappear out the palace doors.

Humming to herself, Amber Rose made her way to the cottage she now shared with Wyatt and Adair. As she approached, she saw that the lights were already on. Her heartbeat picked up speed as she let herself inside and hung her coat in the closet alongside Adair and Wyatt's coats, with Wyatt's hat keeping watch from the shelf above them. After closing the door, she went into the living room. "Hello, Amber."

"Hi, Wyatt." She smiled and joined him on the sofa, kissing his cheek as she happily nestled against his side. "Adair's turn to cook?"

He nodded, kissing her cheek in return. "Mm-hmm. He said he has something special planned for tonight."

"Every night is special with you two," she sighed happily, resting her head on his broad shoulder.

Wyatt chuckled as he gently stroked her back. "You have to admit that some are more special than others."

"Mmm, I'm sure those will come along in time," she murmured, resting one hand over the steady beat of Wyatt's heart.

They sat in silence for several moments, just savoring each other's company, and then Adair's voice interrupted them. "Well, this looks cozy. Perhaps I should eat dinner all by myself."

"You're welcome to join us, you know," Wyatt responded playfully, his voice rumbling pleasantly under her hand.

Amber Rose sat up, smiling warmly at Adair. "Actually, dinner sounds delicious."

"We'll have time to cuddle afterwards," Adair added as she took his offered hand and rose smoothly to her feet.

"A good point," Wyatt conceded, getting to his feet as well.

Amber Rose stopped short when she saw the dinner table. It had been set with their best dishes and flatware, three candles illuminating the scene. "What's going on?"

"I told you tonight was going to be special," Wyatt told her as Adair held her chair out for her.

She waited until the two men had seated themselves before responding. "Well, yes, but I didn't think it'd be _this_ special."

"We usually mean it when we say it," Adair told her, brown eyes dancing with amusement.

Amber Rose laughed, amused, and they began to eat. Adair was as accomplished a cook as Wyatt, so the food was delicious. The conversation was light and cheerful, intermingled with a good deal of teasing. Afterwards, Amber Rose and Wyatt cleaned the dishes before joining Adair in the living room. When she sat down beside him, Adair drew her into his arms for a tender kiss, one that she happily returned. Wyatt shared an equally tender kiss with her afterwards. She looked from one to the other curiously. "Something's going on."

"What makes you think that?" Adair asked, his expression one of feigned innocence.

"A special dinner and kisses like that?" She raised her eyebrows at them. "What is it?"

The two men glanced at each other over her head and nodded. Wyatt slid from the sofa to kneel on one knee before her. "We meant it when we asked you to join us in our lives, our love, and our bed, Amber."

"And as a sign that we'll never regret it--" Adair joined Wyatt on one knee in front of her "--we have something for you."

Amber Rose watched as Adair pulled a small, square box out of his pocket and Wyatt reached up to open it, revealing a beautiful ring. She gasped at the sight, her heartbeat speeding up even more and tears springing to her eyes. Despite repeated reassurances from both men that they would never go back on their word, a small part of her had always wondered and worried how long this would last. Slowly, she lifted her head to gaze at them. "Both of you are sure of this?"

"Quite sure." Adair extended his free hand to her so she could look at his ring. A moment later, Wyatt had extended his, too. On both, a second gem had joined the original: an amethyst.

When she looked back up at them, surprised, Wyatt told her quietly, "We love you, Amber."

"Don't ever doubt," Adair added, his eyes just as serious.

Slowly, her hand trembling, Amber Rose extended her left hand to them. Before he slid the ring onto her finger, though, Wyatt had her read the message engraved on the inside of the band: 'Let our Journey begin!' "Journey?"

"Yes." Adair nodded as he held her hand steady while Wyatt slid the ring onto her finger. "My parents used to say that sharing your life with someone is like going on a journey with them. Mysterious, unpredictable, but never boring."

She smiled, appreciating the sentiment. "Thank you, both of you." Swallowing, she added, "I love you both very much."

Grinning, they pulled her into a tight three-way hug. She smiled as she buried her face in their shoulders, breathing in their combined scent happily. _They always seem to know **exactly** what I need..._


	12. The New Journey Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their journey together continues.

Wyatt and Adair were summoned to an audience with the Queen just a few days after giving Amber Rose her ring. As they waited to be admitted, Wyatt fidgeted with his coat and vest, constantly adjusting them. Though he knew Adair had to be as nervous as he was, the other man still tried to cheer him up. "We've done nothing wrong. Amber Rose said herself that the Queen approves of our relationship."

"I know, but why would we be summoned to an audience?" Wyatt asked as Adair caught his hand and twined their fingers together.

Adair only shook his head. "I don't know, but people get summoned for good _and_ bad reasons. I'm pretty sure the reason for this one is good."

"I sure hope you're right," Wyatt muttered just as the doors opened.

A footman appeared and gestured for them to enter. "Her Majesty will see you now, Mr. Walker, Mr. Cain."

"Thank you." Adair nodded and they entered the throne room together, still holding hands.

They approached the throne and sank to one knee. "Mr. Walker and Mr. Cain, your Majesty."

"Rise, Gentlemen," the Queen ordered them in her steady, measured tones. Exchanging nervous glances, they did so, all the while not quite looking at the Queen. "Come with me." After a moment of surprise, they followed her from the throne room. As they walked along various corridors, the two men glanced at each other curiously. _Where are we going?_

Eventually, they reached a pair of arched wooden doors with the Queen's symbol carved onto them. At a touch of her hand, they swung open and she gestured for Wyatt and Adair to follow her inside. As the door shut behind them, a young voice shouted, "Mother!"

"My precious Azkadellia." The Queen caught her daughter when the latter threw herself at her mother. "Have you behaved for your father and aunt?"

The Princess nodded, catching sight of the two men. "Who are these men, Mother?"

"Your Uncle Adair and Uncle Wyatt," the Queen replied, indicating each man as she said his name. "They're Auntie Rose's husbands."

Wide brown eyes stared at them and Wyatt shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny. The Princess pulled away from her mother so she could curtsey properly to them. "A pleasure to meet you, Gentlemen."

"An honor, Princess." Adair bowed gallantly to her.

Wyatt quickly followed his husband's example. "A large honor, Princess."

"Did I do that right, Mother?" Azkadellia asked as they straightened up.

The Queen nodded, fondly stroking her daughter's hair. "Yes, Az, that was very well done. Now you can go play with them."

"Thank you, Mother!" After a brief hug, the Princess darted over to the men and, taking their hands, dragged them further into the rooms that Wyatt was only just beginning to realize were the Royal Family's private quarters.

Blue eyes met brown behind the Princess' back, both pairs conveying the fact that they were in way over their heads. Clearing his throat, Adair asked, "What's going on?"

"We're going to play with Auntie Rose and Father," Azkadellia explained matter-of-factly. "Mother said we could."

Wyatt raised an eyebrow as they entered an adjacent room. _Well, we don't have to worry about missing work, then. What the Queen says goes..._

"Your mother isn't coming, Azkadee?" Amber Rose sounded distracted as she fiddled with some sort of construction on the floor of the rather large playroom.

"No, but she brought some guests, Auntie Rose." Azkadellia led them over and plopped down on the floor beside the construction that Wyatt now realized was a model of the palace built out of miniature logs.

"Oh? Who?" Amber Rose looked up as she spoke and stared in surprise up at Wyatt and Adair.

Wyatt was the first to crouch down, leaning in to kiss her cheek. "Hello, Amber."

Adair followed suit, kissing her forehead. "This is as much a surprise for us as it is for you."

The Royal Advisor looked at her adopted niece. "It was your idea, wasn't it?"

"No." The Princess tried to look innocent, but even Wyatt could see that it was feigned.

A smile slowly began to appear as Amber Rose turned to face the Princess. "You know what the penalty is for lying, don't you?"

"No!" The Princess shrieked and started to dash across the room.

Wyatt stared as his wife dashed after the Princess and started to get up to go after them. Adair laid a hand on his husband's arm to stop him. "Adair!"

"It's all in fun, Wyatt," Adair told him an undertone, nodding towards the two.

Looking closer, he realized that Amber Rose was tickling the Princess, who was shrieking with laughter, even as she writhed in the Royal Advisor's grip. "Sorry. Guess it's the Tin Man in me."

"We're not in danger here, Wyatt." Adair kissed his temple. "Relax."

He nodded, just as the King Consort appeared at one of the other doors, holding the six-month-old Princess Dorothygael in his arms. "What's going on?"

"Oh!" The tickling stopped promptly and Princess Azkadellia straightened up. "Did we wake Deege up, Father?"

He shook his head as his elder daughter walked over to hug him carefully. "No, I was just feeding her, but the noise was making her fussy."

"It's my fault, Ahamo," Amber Rose told him as Azkadellia gently eased her sister into her arms. "I was tickling Azkadee and making her laugh so loud."

The King Consort smiled and patted her hand. "It's quite all right, Amber Rose. It sounded like you two were having lots of fun."

"We were!" The Princess nodded, gently stroking her sister's back. "Mother brought Uncle Adair and Uncle Wyatt to play with us."

At his daughter's gesture, the King Consort looked over at Wyatt and Adair, both of whom bowed briefly. "Ah, yes, Violetta mentioned she'd be inviting you two to join us."

"Knowing Vi, it was disguised as an order," Amber Rose commented, brown eyes gleaming with amusement. "No, summoned for an audience, and then brought here."

Adair laughed at that. "Yes, that's it exactly."

"I don't understand why, though," Wyatt admitted quietly.

The King Consort stepped forward, resting his hands on the Tin Man's broad shoulders. "As Amber Rose's husbands, you two are now family."

"What does that mean, exactly?" Adair asked the question this time.

Wyatt jumped when he felt Amber Rose slip between them, her arms around their waists. "It means, my darling husbands, that you are practically brothers to Queen Violetta and King Consort Ahamo. Not only that, but you are also adopted uncles to Princess Azkadellia and Princess Dorothygael."

"Which means?" Wyatt glanced at Adair across their wife's head, and then down at her.

She smiled and stretched up a little to kiss the tip of his nose. "You'll figure it out." She turned and kissed Adair's cheek. "Both of you."

* * *

The trip to the Cain Ranch was at once too long and too short for Amber Rose's liking. They rode horses because the Cain family was rather traditional and it gave them an excuse to take their time. Amber Rose didn't mind. She enjoyed the chance to camp out with both her husbands and they made love under the stars more than once. Still, as they approached the ranch, she wished they could have taken a little longer to get there. She had no idea what Wyatt's family would think of him having a husband _and_ a wife. From things Adair and Wyatt had let slip, when they'd first become lovers, the Cain family had not been pleased. They'd wanted him to marry a woman and continue the family line. _"Luckily, Frederick's marriage made it a moot point. We have several nieces and nephews now."_

"We're almost there." Wyatt and Adair reined in their horses and Amber Rose did the same, following their gazes down to a cozy ranch in the hollow of a natural valley. The great house, a smaller frame house, bunk house, stables, and barn were grouped together around a yard with a pasture containing a large herd of horses taking up most of the land.

Amber Rose glanced at Wyatt, seeing love and longing in his eyes as he gazed down upon his childhood home. She reached over to cover his hand with hers, drawing his attention. "You loved it here, didn't you?"

"Yes." He smiled sheepishly, releasing the reins of his horse long enough to squeeze her hand. "It wasn't enough, though. I wanted to do more with my life than raise horses."

Adair reached over from his place on Wyatt's other side to pat his shoulder. "A part of you will always belong here, however."

"Let's keep going while we still have daylight." His voice gruff, Wyatt urged his horse onwards down the trail.

Amber Rose guided her horse to fall in step with Adair's. "He's never been much for talking about his emotions, has he?"

"Not for all the time I've known him," Adair agreed, his smile fond as they watched the straight back of their husband.

She chuckled, reaching over to pat Adair's arm. "Good thing he can share his emotions in other ways."

"Oh, yes." Adair nodded, brown eyes gleaming with amusement. He glanced at her, his expression turning sober for a moment. "Just as a warning, Wyatt will try to insist that we not do anything more than cuddle while we're here."

Amber Rose raised an eyebrow, a smile twitching at her lips. "Try? I take it you've convinced him in the past that it's all right?"

"Well, actually, I teased him to the point of him taking action, but I suppose it amounts to the same thing." Adair chuckled and she couldn't resist laughing along with him. She could just imagine what the brunette had done to tease the blond.

As they got their mirth under control, Wyatt called back, "What's so funny back there?"

"Nothing at all, Wyatt," Adair answered quickly, an innocent smile plastered on his face.

Their husband gave them a skeptical look, but turned back around in his saddle to continue leading them down the trail. Amber Rose and Adair traded conspiratorial looks before urging their horses to pick up the pace.

By the time they arrived in the yard, a couple had emerged from the great house to greet them, and another had emerged from the smaller frame house. While they stood and watched, Wyatt dismounted from his horse and moved to help Amber Rose down from hers, even though she could have easily dismounted on her own. Once Adair had dismounted from his horse, a teenage boy appeared to take the horses to the stables. The man who'd appeared from the great house stepped forward, a dark eyebrow arched inquiringly above curious blue eyes. "It's good to see you, Wyatt."

"Hello, Frederick." Wyatt smiled as he and his older brother shared a manly hug. "It's good to be here again."

"Hey, Wyatt!" The other man grinned when the blond turned to him. This hug was accompanied by backslapping. "Good to see you."

Wyatt returned the backslapping with a chuckle. "Hi, Howard."

"I recognize Adair, but who's the lovely lady?" Howard nodded to Amber Rose, who'd stayed close to the brunette's side.

The redheaded woman with Howard poked him with her elbow. "Don't go getting ideas, Howard. She's not your type."

"You have no reason to be jealous, Bobbie, and you know it." Howard turned and pulled his wife into a warm kiss.

While he was doing so, Wyatt gestured to Amber Rose and Adair. "Frederick, Isabelle, Howard, Roberta, you of course remember Adair." Four heads nodded, even as puzzlement expressed itself in blue, green, and gray eyes. "Since our last visit, Adair and I asked Amber Rose to be our wife and she accepted."

"Wait, _our_?" Frederick asked this, blue eyes wide with surprise. "She's with _both_ of you?"

Amber Rose caught Wyatt's hand with her free one as Adair answered the question. "Yes. We both fell in love with her and she fell in love with both of us. It seemed natural to ask her to share our love and our lives."

"Couldn't you have just picked _one_?" Isabelle asked the question, tugging absently at the end of her brown braid, gray eyes plaintive.

Wyatt's voice was hard as he answered, squeezing Amber Rose's hand almost painfully tight. "No. You know we can't dictate to our hearts. I love Adair _and_ Amber Rose. If you cannot accept that, then we'll go back home instead of staying."

"Now, Wyatt, you know us better than that." Roberta shot a green-eyed glare at her brother-in-law and his wife. "You've just surprised us, that's all."

Howard added his voice to his wife's, blue eyes sincere, "At least give us until tomorrow to get used to the idea of you having a husband _and_ a wife."

"I'm not sure if we should," Wyatt answered slowly, turning to look at Adair and Amber Rose. "What do you two say? It's as much your decision as mine."

Adair answered first, his voice firm. "Let's give them the time."

"It'd be silly to turn right around and head home when we just barely got here," Amber Rose added, glad that Adair's opinion matched hers.

Wyatt gazed at both of them before nodding and turning back to his brothers and sisters-in-law. "Fine, we'll stay until tomorrow at least. If you still can't accept Amber Rose, then we'll leave by lunchtime. Fair enough?"

"That's fine." Howard shook Wyatt's hand solemnly.

After a moment of hesitation, Frederick shook his brother's hand as well. "You always did have to do things your own way, Wy."

"Thanks, Fred." Wyatt nodded.

At a gesture from the eldest Cain brother, they trooped inside. As they followed the others, Adair leaned down to whisper, "Wait until we meet the nieces and nephews. They won't care that we're _both_ married to Uncle Wyatt. You'll just be another playmate."

"I hope you're right," Amber Rose whispered back.

Adair kissed her temple and they continued on in silence for the moment. After they'd been shown to their room and left to unpack privately, Wyatt's broad shoulders slumped. Without a word, Amber Rose and Adair went to him, hugging him on both sides. She kissed the underside of his jaw while he kissed his cheek. "At least you don't have to deal with my parents."

"That bad?" Amber Rose asked, resting her head against his shoulder.

Wyatt chuckled humorlessly. "The first time I brought Adair, Father flat-out told us to turn right around and go back home. Howard insisted that we have a chance to rest before we started back. We ended up falling asleep in the foreman's house."

"I still say he put something in our food to make us fall asleep," Adair interjected with a quiet chuckle at that point.

Wyatt shrugged. "By the time we woke up, it was too late to head back, so we spent the night. After breakfast the next day, Adair and I were just about to saddle our horses when Mother came to us and told us Father had changed his mind."

"Or had it changed for him," Adair interposed, grinning now.

Wyatt conceded that with a smile. "So we were able to stay anyway. After that, we were always welcome here."

"Until today," she commented quietly, absently stroking his chest through his shirt.

Adair leaned across Wyatt to kiss her forehead. "Give them time. They may not understand, but they _will_ accept us."

"I hope you're right." She was just about to kiss each of them when she yawned. "Oh, I'm sorry."

Wyatt laughed softly, guiding her to the large bed. "No need to be sorry. It's been a long journey today. You go ahead and rest."

"Yes, dear." She smiled softly as her husbands helped her out of her coat, hat, and boots. With only a little fussing, they tucked her under the covers.

Wyatt smoothed her hair back from her forehead. "We'll be nearby when you wake up."

"Don't worry." Adair kissed her cheek. "Sleep well."

She smiled sleepily at them. "Thanks."

Amber Rose fell asleep soon after, still not sure if she'd been wise to come with them on this trip.


	13. Surprise Detour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The new journey encounters a dip in the road.

Wyatt and Adair watched Amber Rose sleep for a bit before they left the room to rejoin Wyatt's brothers. No sooner had they reached the ground floor than they were assaulted by twin missiles. "Uncle Wyatt! Uncle Adair!"

"Hello, Matty!" Wyatt caught his ten-year-old nephew in a warm hug while Adair caught the other. "Hello, Benji!" He looked up with a smile to see his thirteen-year-old niece approaching, blue eyes annoyed as she shook her head at her brothers. "Hello, Susie."

She smiled as she hugged him. "Hello, Uncle Wyatt."

"Hello, Susie," Adair added when she hugged him in turn.

The men set the twins on their feet as she answered, "Hello, Uncle Adair." She frowned as she looked around. "Mother said something about a new aunt?"

"Amber Rose was tired after the journey," Wyatt explained as the twins each took hold of a hand and tugged to get him to follow them. "She's lying down right now, but you'll get to meet her at dinner, hopefully."

Susanna nodded, looking a little disappointed. "All right." She turned her attention to her brothers. "Stop that. Mother only let you come in long enough to say 'hi'."

"What were they doing before?" Adair asked as the two boys began to show signs of pouting.

The redheaded girl firmly detached her brothers' hands from Wyatt's and began herding them toward the front door. "They were mucking out their horses' stalls."

"Horses, huh?" Wyatt asked, following them out into the yard. "Was that Howard's idea or Roberta's?"

She arched her eyebrow at her uncle as the two boys reluctantly trotted across the yard to the stables. "What do you think, Uncle?"

"Howard's." Wyatt chuckled fondly as he thought of his younger brother. "Though I bet it was Roberta's to have them take care of the horses, too."

She chuckled and nodded. "You'd win that bet. Excuse me, I have chores to finish."

"See you later, Susie." Wyatt waved, watching her go.

He was just about to follow them to the stables when Howard exited the frame house and waved to them. "Wyatt! Adair!"

"I wondered how long it'd take him," Adair commented dryly as they obediently crossed to Howard's house and followed him inside.

Wyatt chuckled as they made their way to the kitchen, where Howard and Roberta sat waiting for them. "I'm glad to see you both."

"Please have a seat," Howard requested as Roberta got up to prepare drinks for them. "Where's Amber Rose?"

Adair answered as they took seats across from Howard, "Resting. She hasn't done this much riding in some time."

"I suppose it would help to talk with you separately anyway," Howard mused as Roberta placed drinks in front of the other two men: coffee for Wyatt and tea for Adair.

Wyatt asked the next question as Adair prepared his tea and took a sip of the almost-scalding hot brew. "I take it you want confirmation that we're not lying about our feelings?"

"In a word, yes," Roberta replied, sipping her drink. "At least, Fred does. Howie and I don't think you have it in you to joke about something like this."

The blond brother smiled wryly. "Fred's the patriarch now; he has to act in the best interests of our family, which includes doubting sincerity in unusual circumstances."

"He could have been more polite about it," Howard grumbled, resting his arm across the back of his wife's chair.

Wyatt shook his head. "No, I'd rather he be direct about his skepticism."

"This doesn't answer the question about the sincerity of our feelings," Adair interjected, and then showed Howard his left hand. "Look at the ring."

Howard frowned as he studied Adair's ring, and then Wyatt's. "If I remember correctly, you used to have just one stone."

"Exactly," Adair nodded. "You'll notice the new gem on our rings is the same, even though the original is different."

The dark-haired brother nodded. "Yes. I take it the amethyst represents Amber Rose?"

"Yes, and she has a matching ring, with our gemstones," Wyatt replied, covering Adair's hand with his. "Not only that, we are now all living together."

Roberta arched an eyebrow at that. "She moved into your flat? It's barely big enough for two people, let alone three."

"No, we're living in a cottage now," Adair explained. "We'd have needed to move anyway, since we intend to start a family."

Howard stared at them. "What about the paternity of the children? Won't it matter?"

"Not in the slightest," Wyatt answered this stoutly, his hand tightening on Adair's. "Whether the children are mine or Adair's, I will love them all equally."

Adair nodded, returning Wyatt's squeeze. "And the same goes for me."

"I'm relieved you both feel that way." The new voice startled them into looking at the doorway. Amber Rose stood there, one slender hand resting on her stomach.

Wyatt and Adair both got up and hurried to her side, helping their wife to a seat at the table. "We thought you were asleep."

"I don't sleep as well without you two," she admitted, kissing Wyatt's temple and Adair's cheek. "And I always have trouble sleeping at a new location anyway."

Adair smirked. "Perhaps if we exhausted you, that won't be a problem."

"It's a possibility." Her eyes twinkled as she looked from one to the other. "We can have the fun of trying at least."

The two men laughed, taking turns kissing her, and then each other. By the time they finished and turned back to their hosts, Howard had a crooked grin on his face and Roberta was leaning her head on his shoulder with a soft smile. "Well, there's no doubt as to whether your feelings for each other are genuine or not."

"Thank you." Amber Rose smiled demurely, nestling comfortably between her two husbands.

Wyatt and Adair exchanged relieved glances over her head. Now Frederick just needed to give his blessing.

* * *

Amber Rose wasn't surprised to find that she was alone when she woke up. Both of her husbands were early risers and she'd been sleeping in more than usual lately. Not to mention this was as much a vacation as a chance to visit Wyatt's family. Since it _was_ a vacation, she took her time in getting up, showered, and dressed. Just as she finished dressing, there was a knock on the bedroom door. "Aunt Rose? Are you up?"

"Yes, I'm up," Amber Rose opened to door to find her oldest niece standing on the other side, brown hair pulled back into a braid very like her mother's, blue eyes puzzled as they met Amber Rose's brown ones. "Why do you ask, Dinah?"

The teenager shrugged her shoulders. "A Royal Messenger arrived and he insisted on seeing only you. He wouldn't say why."

"Something must have happened," Amber Rose murmured, lengthening her strides so she could take the stairs two at a time as she descended. "Where is he?"

Dinah's boots clattered on the stairs as she caught up with her aunt. "He's waiting for you in the sitting room."

"Right." Amber Rose nodded, unconsciously straightening her posture. "Let Uncle Wyatt and Adair know that I may need to return home sooner than we planned."

"Yes, Aunt Rose." The brunette nodded as she acknowledged the order, eyes wide with surprise, presumably at the change in her aunt's manner.

As the girl headed for the front door, Amber Rose went to the sitting room. The young man waiting there quickly jumped to his feet when she entered and bowed deeply. "Royal Advisor."

"Yes, yes, stand up straight, please." It always bothered her when the other royal servants bowed or curtsied to her. "Why did the Queen send you?"

The Messenger opened the satchel that was slung on one hip and pulled out a scroll of paper. "She wished me to give you this."

"Very well, have a seat." Amber Rose gestured to the chair he'd jumped up from, noticing that a cup waited on the table beside him. _She offered refreshments. Good._

As he resumed his seat, Amber Rose walked over to the window to use the sunslight to read the contents of the scroll. What she read there made her heart clench in her chest. She didn't even move until she felt familiar hands on her back and shoulder, Adair's voice in her ear. "Amber?"

"What's wrong?" Wyatt asked the question as she turned to them with wet eyes.

Clearing her throat, she looked from one to the other. "DG is very sick. Violetta would like me to return to be with them."

"Not a message for the Royal Advisor, but for the Godmother," Adair mused as Wyatt took the scroll she held up.

The blond finished reading the message and handed the scroll to the brunette. "We'll go back with you."

"This is your vacation, too, Wyatt," she objected, surprised and pleased that he'd made the offer. "I don't want to cut it short for all of us."

Adair finished reading the scroll and gently tilted her head up so her eyes met his. "We're your husbands, Amber. That makes us DG and Az's uncles."

"Meaning we're family and we should be there anyway," Wyatt finished the explanation. "If any of my nephews or nieces were sick, you and Adair would come with me, right?"

She nodded, not even thinking about it. "Yes, of course."

"Same principle." Adair smiled and tapped the tip of her nose with his finger. "We're together for the bad as well as the good."

Amber Rose nodded, tears welling up in her eyes again. "Thank you."

They enfolded her into such a tight hug that she almost disappeared from view. Rather than feeling smothered, she only felt loved and secure. It was a wonderful feeling.


	14. Surprise Detour (pt 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our star trio comes across a surprise detour.

The journey back to Central City didn't take as long as the journey to the Cain family ranch. Of course, they were in more of a hurry this time. Wyatt and Adair made a point of making sure Amber Rose ate and slept, since she was too worried about her adopted niece to take proper care of herself. They could only hope that she wouldn't make herself as sick as Princess Dorotheagael before they got back.

Normally, Wyatt and Adair insisted on caring for their horses themselves. Upon their return to the palace, however, they handed their reins over to the stable hands and followed their wife inside. They were too worried about her and Princess Dorotheagael to take the time, just this once. After months of intimacy with the Royal Family, neither man hesitated to follow Amber Rose into the private sitting room. They found Ahamo seated on one of the sofas, Azkadellia curled up half in his lap as he stroked her hair soothingly. The Royal Advisor headed straight for the King Consort and Princess. "How is she?"

"No change yet," Ahamo replied as his daughter pulled her feet up so Amber Rose could sit down if she wished.

She did sit down and Adair perched on the arm of the sofa beside her while Wyatt leaned on the back of the sofa behind her. Folding her hands together in her lap, she asked, "Do we know what's wrong?"

"It's like pneumonia on the Other Side," Ahamo explained, still stroking Azkadellia's hair, "except it specifically targets magic users."

Amber Rose nodded, looking worried. "I take it Violetta is in with DG, then?"

"Yes. She said she had it when she was ten, so she's safe." Ahamo nodded as Azkadellia seemed to curl up into an even tighter ball.

Before anyone could ask, the princess whispered, "I want to help Mother and Raw."

"Raw?" Wyatt asked, puzzled.

It was the King Consort who explained, "The Viewer who's been helping us with DG."

"Az hasn't had this magical pneumonia?" Adair asked, leaning over slightly from his position.

Amber Rose nodded. "Yes, and DG being sick will be quite enough."

"If Az could be inoculated, she could help," Ahamo commented thoughtfully.

All four of them stared at him in silence. In the end, Amber Rose asked the question on all of their minds, "Inoculation? What's that?"

"Inoculation is the practice of deliberately infecting a person with a milder form of a disease that could kill them if they catch it naturally," he told them, glancing down at Azkadellia with a fond smile. "They still get sick, but it's not life-threatening and they never have to worry about catching the more severe form."

Amber Rose looked intrigued by the idea. For his part, Wyatt couldn't quite understand why anyone would deliberately make themselves sick. The Ozians who lived and worked on the farms and ranches were too busy tending to crops and livestock to lose even a day of work. As for those who lived in Central City, it cost so much to live there that the residents couldn't afford to miss a day of work.

The Queen entered from Dorotheagael's bedroom just then. Wyatt was surprised by the lines of worry that had formed around her eyes and mouth, not to mention how they seemed to have aged her. When she saw her friend, however, a tired smile erased some of those lines. "Amber Rose. Thank you for coming back early."

"As if I could stay away with DG sick," Amber Rose stood as the Queen crossed the room. The two women embraced tightly and the Royal Advisor asked quietly, "Is it worse than when you had it?"

"Unfortunately, yes." The Queen nodded sadly as Amber Rose urged her to sit down beside her husband. She leaned against him gladly, closing her lavender eyes as he stroked her back. "Since DG is so much younger, she's in much more danger than I was."

Adair leaned forward, lightly resting his hand on Amber Rose's shoulder for balance, and asked, "Was the Viewer able to help?"

"Raw only do so much." The strange voice startled them into turning towards the bedroom door once more. The Viewer in question stood there, looking drained. "This fight for Princess to win."

Ahamo smiled faintly as the Queen summoned a footman to escort Raw to a room where he could rest. "If anyone's a fighter, DG is."

"We'll be cheering her on," Wyatt added seriously.

Azkadellia had squirmed her way across both her parents' laps, nestling her head against her mother's neck. "I miss Deege."

"We all do, Azkadee." Amber Rose sighed as she leaned back against sofa. "We all do."

* * *

There was no question of Amber Rose going to the cottage. She wanted to be nearby in case of any sudden changes Dorotheagael's condition. Wyatt and Adair refused to go without her, so all three went to Amber Rose's suite of rooms to retire when it grew late. Despite her worry about her adopted niece, she was amused when her husbands saw that the bed in the bedroom was identical to the one in the master bedroom of the cottage. "Did the Queen move it here?"

"No, Adair," she explained as she moved to the bureau to pull out a nightgown. "Three of these were made once I'd finalized the design."

Wyatt paused in the midst of changing into his pajamas. "Three? Where's the third one?"

"At the summer palace in Finaqua," she told him before pulling the nightgown on over her head. "If you like, a fourth one can be made to be sent to your family's ranch."

The two men glanced at each other, surprised. Eventually, Wyatt shook his head. "Not right now, but thank you for the offer, Amber."

"Do you always think ahead like that?" Adair asked, amused, as he lay back across the bed.

She climbed onto the bed beside him, lounging on one hip. "Like what?"

"Thinking of making three beds instead of one," he said, shifting onto his side to gaze at her. "If it'd been us, we'd only have thought of having one made at first."

She smiled as she gently smoothed a strand of hair out of Adair's eyes. "The Royal Family has always had multiple residences. It makes sense to have something that important at each of them instead of one that's transported from residence to residence."

"It's been awhile since I've had to think of having more than one place to live," Adair murmured, reaching up to play with one of Amber Rose's curls.

Wyatt settled behind Adair, resting one hand on his shoulder. "Have you ever regretted it?"

"Never." Adair twisted around to kiss Wyatt softly. "I don't care what my family says. I love you and I'm not giving you up." He turned back around to face Amber Rose. "Either of you."

She smiled and leaned in to kiss his throat, making him tilt his head back with a moan. It was soon muffled by Wyatt's lips on Adair's. As pleasant as it was to be the center of attention, there were times it was just as pleasant to double-team one of her husbands. Though, as she drifted off to sleep, Amber Rose wasn't surprised to realize that she'd been maneuvered into the middle of the bed, with both men holding her tight in hopes of comforting her.

* * *

Wyatt was the first to wake up in the morning. Amber Rose was cuddled between the two men, lines of worry creasing her forehead even in sleep. Stifling a sigh, Wyatt kissed her forehead and carefully slipped out of bed. The only reaction from Adair and Amber Rose was to move closer to each other and settle back to sleep. Pleased, the Tin Man dressed in a clean shirt and trousers, not surprised to find that the closet and bureau had clothes for him and Adair as well as Amber Rose. He padded barefoot into the sitting room and stopped short. The Queen was seated on the settee, obviously waiting. Wyatt hastily bowed. "Your Majesty."

"Rise, Wyatt." She sounded tired and worn out. "I'm here as a friend, not the Queen."

A little hesitantly, he straightened up, not quite meeting her eyes. "Amber Rose is still asleep if you wanted to speak with her."

"Let her sleep. If I know her, she didn't get much rest on the trip back here," the Queen replied, sounding tiredly amused. "I want to thank you and Adair for loving her. I worried for a long time that she would not find someone to love her as she deserved."

He smiled, slowly sitting down on the settee. "She hinted that she's been pursued romantically more because of her connection to you rather than because the pursuer was actually interested in her."

"It happened more than once." The Queen folded her hands together in her lap. "I was pleasantly surprised when she began courting you, and then Adair. She'd never done that before, but it obviously worked."

Wyatt nodded, smiling. "It certainly did."

"What did?" The sleepy voice drew their attention to the bedroom doorway. Amber Rose and Adair stood there, both looking sleep-tousled. He wore a shirt and trousers while she wore a blouse and skirt.

When he saw the Queen, Adair bowed deeply. "Your Majesty."

"Rise, Adair." She sounded exasperated as Amber Rose crossed to sit on Wyatt's lap, nuzzling her head under his chin.

The warehouse manager did so and moved to perch on the arm of the couch behind Wyatt as Amber Rose asked, "How is DG, Violetta?"

"She's improved a little, but now Azkadellia is sick."

* * *

Amber Rose sat quietly nearby as Raw examined Azkadellia. "Not as dangerous for her," he pronounced, "older, stronger."

"Thank you, Raw." She offered him her hand, reassured that both of her goddaughters would survive the illness.

He took it, but didn't release it directly after shaking it. He frowned and held it tighter as his eyes briefly closed. After a few moments, he opened his eyes to meet her gaze with a smile. "Congratulations."

"For what?" She frowned at him.

He lightly rested his hand on her stomach. "For baby."

"I _am_ pregnant?"


	15. Detour Becomes a New Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amber Rose wonders how to share her news.

"Adair, have you noticed anything odd about Amber lately?" Wyatt asked his husband one evening several weeks after the Princesses had started showing improvement.

His mouth quirking up in a half-smile, Adair asked, "You mean aside from spending much more time in her lab than she has since we've known her, obsessively cleaning the cottage, and taking up tatting?"

"Tatting?" Wyatt repeated, staring at his husband in puzzlement. "Is that what she's been doing with that thin thread?"

Adair nodded. "Mother spent years making a tablecloth that way."

"That's not like Amber at all." Wyatt shook his head, sitting back in his chair. Amber Rose had been forced to stay at the palace for dinner because her presence as the Royal Advisor had been required. "She's always looking for ways to do something efficiently."

Pushing his empty plate away, Adair nodded. "That was my thought, too, when I realized what she was doing."

"So why is she doing it at all?" Wyatt asked, tapping his finger on the tabletop thoughtfully.

"I honestly can't say," Adair replied, brown eyes serious. "Maybe she's still worried about the Princesses."

Wyatt arched an eyebrow at his husband. "Why would she still be worried about them? Raw said they're recovering just fine."

"I'm not sure, but the look in her eyes when she watches them is different from before they were sick," the brunette explained. "I can't quite place it."

The blond chuckled wryly. Of _course_ Adair would have noticed the way Amber Rose looked at people, places, and things. He noticed little details like that and it aided him in his work as the warehouse manager for his family's company. "You _do_ realize we're missing the most obvious answer to this question, right?"

"What would that be?" Adair asked, looking puzzled.

Wyatt got up, carrying his dishes to the sink. "We could simply _ask_ Amber why she's been acting so oddly lately."

"That would spoil the fun of speculating and guessing," Adair retorted, carrying his dishes to the sink to join Wyatt's.

The Tin Man chuckled, rinsing the dishes and putting them in the A.D.W.A.D. Amber Rose had invented. "Perhaps, but it would also prevent us from worrying unnecessarily."

"Worrying unnecessarily?" Adair repeated, staring at Wyatt. "What do you mean?"

He finished loading the A.D.W.A.D. and grabbed the dish towel to dry his hands. "Maybe it's not the Princesses but herself that she's worried about."

"You think she might be sick?" The brunette slowly sank into one of the kitchen chairs, the twinkle in his eyes gone at the sobering thought.

The blond wrapped his arms around his husband's shoulders, squeezing gently. "It's certainly _one_ possible explanation."

"We should ask her," the warehouse manager murmured, covering the Tin Man's hands with his own and squeezing gently.

Wyatt nodded, kissing the top of Adair's head. "We will."

* * *

Several days later, the Queen found the Royal Advisor pacing restlessly through the palace gardens. For once, Amber Rose was completely oblivious to her surroundings. One slender hand rested on her stomach as she muttered to herself, "How do I tell them? We've barely talked about it. When we _have_ , it's been extremely theoretical. They've never had to consider the possibility before. _I've_ never had to consider it before!"

"Never had to consider what possibility, Amber Rose?" Violetta tried to keep her voice calm and quiet, but she still managed to startle her friend into a defensive stance.

Brown eyes blinked when the Royal Advisor recognized the Queen. "Oh, your Majesty. You startled me."

"I gathered as much," Violetta answered with a wry smile.

Smiling sheepishly, Amber Rose straightened up. "What can I do for you?"

"Perhaps _I_ can help _you_ ," the Queen suggested gently. "It sounds like you have something weighty on your mind."

Slowly, the Royal Advisor nodded. "Yes, I do, and I can't talk to my husbands about it." She frowned briefly. "Not yet, anyway."

"Not yet?" Violetta arched a delicate eyebrow at that. "If you have something important to discuss with them, you should do it as soon as you can."

Amber Rose shook her head, unconsciously falling in step with her friend as they walked through the gardens. "I will, but it's a matter of determining how best to broach the topic with them to start."

"What topic will you be broaching with them that you have to think carefully about _how_ to broach it to start?" The Queen glanced at the Royal Advisor curiously.

After a long moment, Amber Rose stopped, took Violetta's hand in hers, and placed it over her stomach. "Can your magic sense what's inside me?"

"My magic?" After so many years, the Queen didn't need to concentrate to call upon her magic. She simply did and it responded. Astonished lavender eyes met nervous and hopeful brown ones. "You're pregnant?"

The Royal Advisor nodded, releasing her friend's hand. "Yes. I've suspected it since I went to the Cain Ranch with Wyatt and Adair. Raw confirmed it when Azkadee grew ill."

"Is that why you've been acting oddly of late?" Violetta asked, drawing Amber Rose's arm through hers, inviting confidence.

This time, the nod was accompanied by a sheepish smile. "I remember how tired and exhausted you felt towards the ends of your pregnancies and I want to accomplish as much as possible before I reach that point myself."

"You'll reach it sooner if you do too much," the Queen pointed out. "Besides, you have two strong husbands who will be more than happy to help if you're too tired to do things yourself."

The Royal Advisor responded with a dry look. "They can easily clean the cottage, yes, but I don't trust them in my laboratory."

"Perhaps you should refrain from doing more than sketching or drafting until your baby is born," Violetta gently suggested.

An emphatic shake of her head made Amber Rose's answer clear before she said a word. "No. I'd go mad if I couldn't putter in my lab."

"Not if you focus on your new hobby." The Queen chuckled, remembering how surprised she'd been to find her Royal Advisor busy tatting. While the items produced by such a hobby could be quite beautiful and elegant, they _did_ take a great deal of time to be produced.

The slender shoulders rose and fell in a shrug. "I'm not sure why I started doing it now. I've never been interested in tatting before."

"Perhaps because you know there will come a day when you won't be able to do anything except sit in a chair because your stomach is preventing you from doing what you normally do?" Violetta suggested this with a humorous smile.

Amber Rose laughed, feeling as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders now that she had confided in someone. _Perhaps that's all I needed..._

* * *

Wyatt was rather surprised to find Adair sitting on the front steps of the cottage when he came home from work a week after they'd agreed to ask Amber Rose. "Why aren't you inside?"

"Amber said I couldn't come in until you got home," Adair explained, getting to his feet. "Now that you're home, I hope she'll let me in."

The Tin Man frowned even as his husband kissed him, quick and soft. "Why would she lock you out?"

"I presume she had preparations to make that she didn't want me to see before you did." Adair caught Wyatt's hand in his and squeezed it gently. "Don't worry."

Letting out a sigh, the blond nodded. "I'll try not to."

"Worrywart," the brunette murmured fondly.

Wyatt chuckled at that. "Yes, I am, Darling."

"Darling?" Adair repeated, even as he turned to knock on the door.

He grinned as he moved to stand beside his husband. "Would you prefer Sweetie, or Love?"

"No, Darling is just fine." Adair returned the grin.

Amber Rose opened the door just then, her smile bright and happy when she saw them. "Good, you're both here now. Come in, come in."

"Amber, what--" Wyatt's question was cut off when she threw her arms around him--knocking his hat askew in the process--and kissed him quite soundly.

Her eyes were mischievous when she pulled back. "No questions. All will be revealed."

"But--" this time, Amber Rose threw her arms around Adair and kissed him enthusiastically.

Wyatt couldn't help wondering if she had something she was trying to hide. "Come in!"

"Yes, Sweetheart." The two men obediently followed their wife into the cottage.

Adair shot Wyatt a grin while Amber Rose turned to him with both eyebrows raised. "Sweetheart?"

"He called me 'Darling'," Adair explained. "He should call you something, too."

Wyatt shrugged uncomfortably under their glances. "I can't always articulate how I feel, as you both know, but pet names I can do."

"I don't mind," she assured him, kissing his cheek swiftly. "You just surprised me, that's all."

He nodded, relieved that she didn't object to the pet name. He'd never been good at talking about his feelings, having grown up in a largely masculine environment. Neither his wife nor his husband had shown any disappointment in his lack of romantic overtures, but he knew they wondered sometimes. Calling them by pet names seemed like a good way to reassure them that he loved them as much as they did him.

Wyatt had been so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice Amber Rose leading them to the door for one of the spare rooms until she spoke again. "Close your eyes."

"Why?" Adair asked, sharing a glance with Wyatt.

"Please? For me?" She gave them a pleading look that neither man could resist.

Smiling indulgently, Wyatt obediently closed his eyes. After a moment, he heard the door to the spare room open, followed by Amber Rose's hand taking his. He allowed himself to be led into the room, sensing that Adair was right by his side. He judged that they had just about reached the middle of the room when Amber Rose stopped and released his hand. Adair voiced what Wyatt was wondering. "Amber, what are you up to?"

"You can open your eyes now." Her voice sounded both hopeful and nervous, making Wyatt wonder what she had up her sleeve.

The only way to find out was to open his eyes, so he did. His gasp echoed Adair's as they looked around the room. No longer filled with a jumble of furniture and boxes, it looked bright and airy, just like his nieces and nephews' rooms when they'd been babies. He turned to Amber Rose, who stood in front of them, the fingers of one hand worrying the other sleeve. Quietly, he asked, "Are you pregnant?"

"Yes," she whispered the word, looking from one to the other of them with nervous eyes. "I know we haven't _seriously_ discussed children, but--"

She didn't get a chance to finish because Adair swooped in and kissed her, spinning her around. By the time he released her, she was laughing. "I'm happy you're pregnant. Why did you wait to tell us?"

"You don't even care which of you is the father?" she asked as Adair released her so Wyatt could embrace her.

Once he finished kissing her breathless, Wyatt replied, " _Both_ of us are the baby's father. We'll raise him or her together, all three of us."

"Thank you, Wyatt, Adair." Her smile was tremulous as she extended her hand to Adair.

He took it and wrapped his other arm around Wyatt, beaming. "Thank _you_ , Amber."

"We love you, Sweetheart."

"And I love you both."


	16. Idyllic Travels

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything is going perfectly.

Amber Rose was extremely glad that both of her husbands were delighted with the fact that she was pregnant. Raw had offered to sense who the father was, but all three refused. It was enough that she was carrying new life inside of her.

About a week after Amber Rose told Wyatt and Adair the news, the three of them sat down with the Royal Family to tell them the news. Dorotheagael insisted on curling up in her mother's lap while Azkadellia sat between her parents, her dark head resting on her father's shoulder. It didn't escape the Royal Advisor's notice that the two Princesses were holding hands, as if their mutual illness had drawn them closer together. After a moment of silence, Amber Rose cleared her throat. "Thank you for taking the time with meet with us."

"We're always happy to spend time with you, Amber Rose," Violetta replied, smiling softly at her friend.

"Exactly." Ahamo nodded his agreement, smiling. "Please don't keep us in suspense. What do you need to tell us that is so important?"

Amber Rose glanced at each of her husbands in turn. Adair smiled and winked when he caught her glance. Wyatt nodded, his gaze steady and reassuring. Smiling, she turned her attention back to the Royal Family. "When Azkadee first got sick, Raw accidentally discovered something I had started to suspect while we were visiting Wyatt's family."

"That far back?" Wyatt broke in, obviously surprised.

She nodded, taking his hand and squeezing it gently. "I was going to have the medicos examine me when we got back, but the news of Deege's illness put it right out of my head."

"Until Raw discovered it," Ahamo commented, raising both eyebrows. Amber Rose nodded. "Don't keep us in suspense, what is it?"

Amber Rose rested her hands on the very slight bulge of her stomach. "I'm pregnant."

"Pregnant?" Azkadellia sat up straight, brown eyes gleaming with interest. "Really?"

The Royal Advisor nodded, smiling quietly. "Yes, I really am, Azkadee."

"That's wonderful!" The older Princess got up and rushed over to hug her godmother.

Smiling softly, Amber Rose returned her goddaughter's hug. Violetta's voice drew their attention soon enough. "DG, aren't you going to hug Auntie Rose?"

"What does 'pregnant' mean?" Dorotheagael asked, looking confused.

Stifling a chuckle, the Royal Advisor gestured for her other goddaughter to come over and join her. When the little girl had done so, Amber Rose took her hand and placed it over the bump of her stomach. "Do you feel that bump?" Dorotheagael nodded. "That's a little baby, growing inside of me. When it's big enough, it'll be born and you'll have a baby boy or girl to play with as well as Azkadee."

"Oh." Dorotheagael absently stroked the bump. "Did I grow in Mommy's tummy, too?"

The Royal Advisor nodded, gently stroking the younger Princess' hair. "Yes, and so did Azkadee before you."

"Why can't your baby come out now?" The little girl's blue eyes were big and inquiring when they met Amber Rose's brown ones.

Laughing quietly, the Royal Advisor hugged the Princess. "The baby's not big enough yet. He or she needs a _lot_ more time to grow."

"Okay." Dorotheagael hugged Amber Rose, smiling happily.

At a gesture from her mother, Azkadellia took her sister's hand and led her from the room. "Let's go see if Tutor will play with us."

"Toto will always play with us." Dorotheagael answered confidently, their voices fading as the doors closed behind them.

Smiling fondly, Violetta rose to her feet, causing the others to do the same. "I'm very happy for you, old friend."

"Thank you, Violetta." Amber Rose was surprised when the Queen embraced her warmly. It didn't stop her from returning the embrace, though. She treasured their friendship.

Laughing ruefully as he looked from Adair to Wyatt and back again, Ahamo commented, "I'm not sure which of you I should be congratulating for the baby."

"Both of us will be fine, Ahamo," Adair answered with a laugh. " _We_ don't even know which of us is the father."

As Ahamo shook their hands in turn, Wyatt added, "Nor do we really _want_ to know. It's enough to know that the baby is ours."

"Won't the medicos need to know in case the baby gets sick?" Ahamo asked as he hugged Amber Rose and kissed her cheek. At the same time Violetta kissed Wyatt and Adair's cheeks in turn.

Amber Rose nodded before she replied. "Yes, but we've asked them not to tell us unless it's absolutely necessary."

"Very well. As long as you three are happy with the arrangement." Ahamo shook his head slightly and stepped back to stand beside the Queen.

The Royal Advisor nodded, smiling when she felt a slender arm slide around her shoulders at the same time she felt a kiss on her temple, soon followed by a muscular arm around her waist while a kiss was pressed to her cheek. "Yes, we are very happy."

* * *

A few days after they told the Royal Family their news, Adair and Amber Rose visited Walker Manor to share the news with them as well. An under butler showed them to a sitting room where Adair's parents and brother already waited for them. Bernadette Walker was the first to stand and greet them, hugging Adair tightly. "Hello, Adair. It's wonderful to see you."

"Hello, Mother." Adair returned her embrace with a bemused smile. He still wasn't used to his family treating him as anything more than a warehouse manager.

Mrs. Walker turned to Amber Rose next, taking her hands and kissing each cheek. "Hello, Amber Rose. It's lovely to see you."

"Hello, Mrs. Walker." Amber Rose kissed the older woman's cheeks in turn. "It's good to see you, too."

Her mother-in-law smiled faintly. "Please, call me Bernadette."

"Yes, Mrs. Walker." Adair had once asked Amber Rose why she refused to call his mother by her given name. She'd explained that she would only call Mrs. Walker by her given name once she and her husband acknowledged Wyatt as an equal member of their triad. _"Until they do, your parents will remain Mr. and Mrs. Walker to me."_ Adair loved his parents, but he agreed with Amber Rose. It wasn't enough for them to accept just the two of them. He wanted them to accept Wyatt, too, but that would take time.

Bernadette gestured for them to approach the settees where her husband and younger son waited. "Please, have a seat."

Adair and Amber Rose followed her over and greeted Farris and Edwin. Only Adair could see that Amber Rose's gracious smile was forced when she greeted her father-in-law, but not when she greeted her brother-in-law. Ever since Adair had been attacked, he and Edwin had been on better terms with each other. Though, there had been a brief chill in their relationship after he and Wyatt had asked Amber Rose to join them. Edwin turned to Amber Rose and kissed her cheek, his smile sincere. The greetings complete, they took their seats and Mrs. Walker began to pour tea for all of them. "What brings you two to us, Adair?"

"We have news for you, Mother," he replied, holding Amber Rose's left hand in his right, needing the connection to calm his nerves as he shared their news. "We thought it best share it before we leave town again."

Bernadette paused in the middle of preparing the cups of tea, looking up at her older son with surprise in her gray eyes. "You're leaving town again? So soon?"

"Our previous trip was cut short unexpectedly," Adair reminded her gently, accepting the cup of tea she'd poured for him. "Now that both Princesses are feeling better, we feel it would be best to resume our trip."

Amber Rose accepted her cup of tea in turn. "We've been very busy, Mrs. Walker. We need the time away."

"I see." Mrs. Walker quietly handed cups of tea to Farris and Edwin before asking the question that was on her mind, "What is your news, then?"

Husband and wife exchanged a glance before she nudged him. "You tell them. They're your family, after all."

"Yes, dear." Adair leaned down to briefly kiss her forehead before turning to face his family. "You and father will soon be grandparents, Mother."

Once the full import of that statement sunk in, Bernadette was on her feet in moments, all but attacking her older son in her eagerness to hug him. "That's wonderful news! I'm so happy for you both."

"Thank you, Mother." Adair returned her hug, smiling wryly at Amber Rose over Mrs. Walker's shoulder. He knew she'd be enthusiastic.

The moment she released her son, Bernadette embraced Amber Rose. "Congratulations, Amber Rose. I'm sure you'll make a wonderful mother."

"Thank you, Mrs. Walker." Amber Rose awkwardly returned the hug.

Farris offered his congratulations once Mrs. Walker had returned to her seat, dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. Edwin's congratulations soon followed his father's. The five of them made idle chat while they drank their tea, mostly centered on the coming baby and how Adair and Amber Rose planned to raise him or her. The entire time, Adair was keenly aware of the presence missing on his other side. Finally, they finished their tea and rose to depart. Edwin walked with them to the door, waving off the under butler. As he helped his brother and sister-in-law into their coats, Edwin told them in a low voice, "Please extend my congratulations to Wyatt as well. I'm sorry he couldn't come."

"You know what Mother and Father would have been like if he'd come," Adair reminded his brother, keeping his voice low as well. He didn't wish for the servants to hear them.

Edwin nodded, his expression sympathetic. "Yes, I do, and I wish they were more open-minded about your relationship."

"I understand the proper adage is that beggars would ride if wishes were horses," Amber Rose commented, smiling at her brother-in-law, brown eyes warm with fondness. "We're glad _you_ accept us, Edwin."

He smiled, no bitterness in his eyes now as he met her gaze. "You managed to bring Adair somewhat back into the family fold, Amber Rose, and I know he's happy with _both_ of you. How can I not understand?"

"Apparently rather easily," she observed dryly, referring to the fact that Farris and Bernadette refused to acknowledge Wyatt's presence in Adair and Amber Rose's relationship.

Edwin laughed ruefully and opened the door for them. "Take care, you two."

"We will." Adair slipped his arm around Amber Rose's shoulders and they descended the steps together. A car waited at the curb to take them back to the palace and Wyatt.

* * *

The second time they arrived at Cain Ranch, there was no hesitation in greetings. Howard and Roberta hugged Wyatt, Adair, and Amber Rose with equal enthusiasm. Frederick's greeting, though less effusive than his youngest brother's, was still warm with fondness and acceptance for all three. The seven adults gathered in the kitchen of the ranch house, sitting around the large kitchen table. Frederick spoke first, "I take it the emergency that took you back home has been dealt with?"

"Yes, it has passed," Amber Rose nodded, glancing briefly at Wyatt when he touched her shoulder, her smile warm and loving. "Thank you for asking."

Howard leaned forward, blue eyes gleaming with curiosity. "So why have you come back? I thought you'd simply wait until next year's visit to return."

"Howie!" Roberta swatted her husband's shoulder.

He feigned a hurt look at her. "I really did think that!"

"It's all right, Roberta," Wyatt assured his sister-in-law. "To answer your question, Howard, we'd always planned to return once the emergency was over." He glanced at Amber Rose with a quiet smile. "Even more so after we learned some exciting news."

Isabelle tilted her head curiously as she gazed at her brother-in-law. "What exciting news would this be, Wyatt?"

He glanced to each side, meeting Amber Rose and Adair's eyes in turn. Facing his family, he told them: "We're going to have a baby."

Roberta turned to Howard with a smirk. "I told you!"

"Did I ever disagree?" Howard asked, looking exasperated.

Wyatt frowned at his brother and sister-in-law. "What are you two talking about?"

"Ever since you left, Roberta and Howard have been discussing the fact that Amber Rose looked like she was pregnant," Frederick explained, smiling faintly.

Amber Rose laughed at the expression on Wyatt's face. "I did tell you that I've suspected it since we visited here."

"I know, Sweetheart, I just had no idea that anyone else had suspected." Wyatt turned to kiss Amber Rose's cheek, amused.

A warm hand on Wyatt's shoulder turned him around in time to accept Adair's soft kiss. "I didn't suspect anything, either, Wyatt, so don't feel too bad."

"Darling, you notice more things than I do," Wyatt pointed out with a wry smile, feeling reassured all the same. "It's when _I_ notice something that _you_ don't that I'll worry."

Laughter erupted in response to that and the others drifted off to do their chores. Wyatt and Adair insisted that Amber Rose go to her room and rest until dinnertime. She didn't object in the slightest to their insistence. She tired more easily now that she was pregnant. They'd been told it was natural and not to worry. Still, Wyatt was a pessimist by nature, so he couldn't help being just a little concerned.

* * *

Much as she enjoyed her proper visit with Wyatt's family, Amber Rose was happy to return to Central City and their little cottage. She'd missed puttering in her laboratory, though she'd made plenty of sketches and notes about possible inventions during her stay at the Cain Ranch. She was busy refining one particular design when she felt a twinge of pain in her lower back. Wincing, she sat up and stretched. _Spending too much time bent over my drawing board again…_ Deciding to give her back a rest, Amber Rose got up and left her laboratory, heading down to the kitchens. On her way there, crippling pain seemed to rip right through her abdomen. It was so severe that she had to stop and brace a hand on the wall beside her to avoid falling to her knees. "Your Honor, are you all right?"

Looking up, Amber Rose found one of the footman nearby, gazing at her with concern. Slowly, she shook her head. "No, I'm not all right. Could you help me to the infirmary and get word to the Queen that something is wrong?"

"Of course, Your Honor." The footman's hands were very gentle and supportive as he helped her to the infirmary. Once she was safely in the medicos hands, he disappeared, presumably to take her message to Violetta.

"What brings you here, Amber Rose?" The head medico asked, helping her to recline on the exam bed.

Feeling tears prick at her eyes, she whispered. "I think there's something wrong with the baby."


	17. Abrupt Halt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amber Rose, Wyatt, and Adair _never_ considered this happening.

"Cain!" The Chief's voice rang out down the hall. "My office!"

He saluted, surprised. As far as he knew, she had no reason to reprimand him. The tone of her voice precluded any praise, but it was difficult to be anything but harsh when you were barking words down a hall. Shrugging, he exchanged nods with his partner and made his way to the Chief's office. "You wanted to see me, Ma'am?"

"Sit down, Cain," she advised, going to the door and closing it. Wondering what was going on, he sat down in one of her visitors' chairs. When the Chief turned to face him, there was worry and concern on her face. "I just received a call from the Palace. Amber Rose is in the Infirmary."

He sat bolt upright at that. "She can't be having the baby already. It's far too soon!"

"Unfortunately, yes," the Chief nodded, returning to sit behind her desk. "There's a chance that she'll lose the baby."

The Tin Man jumped to his feet, heart in his throat, heading for the door. "I need to go to her."

"Wyatt." He stopped in his tracks at her use of his given name. "Take as much time off as you need. I have a feeling your wife will need you more than us."

The blond slowly nodded, shooting a grateful look over his shoulder. "Thank you, Nicki."

Wyatt was out the door the next moment, all but running down the hall. He was far too anxious to think about being courteous. Distantly, he heard his partner's voice calling his name. "Cain! We still have paperwork!"

"I'll owe you, Drake!" Wyatt shouted, not even slowing down.

He wasn't surprised to find a palace car waiting for him in front of the Tin Man building. He just climbed into the backseat, barely nodding to the chauffer. Adair was already seated in the car, opening his arms when he saw the Tin Man. "Wyatt!"

"Darling." The two men embraced tightly for a moment, taking some comfort in each other's presence. "Do you know anything?"

Adair shrugged helplessly, keeping Wyatt's hand in his while the car made its way back to the Palace, taking full advantage of its privileged status. "Only that there's complications with the baby." He rubbed his forehead with his free hand, looking worried. "You know that Mother lost two babies trying to have Edwin?" Wyatt nodded. "She was just starting to really show when she lost the first one."

"Let's hope that's not the case this time," Wyatt replied gruffly, tightening his grip on Adair's hand at the thought of losing the baby.

Adair's eyes were serious when they met Wyatt's. "We almost lost Mother the second time she miscarried. She lost a lot of blood and she was very depressed afterwards."

"I'm sure the Queen will take every step she can to ensure we won't lose our Sweetheart." For once, Wyatt was determined to be optimistic. He didn't want to think of how devastated he and Adair would be if they lost Amber Rose.

His husband nodded and they said nothing more for the rest of the ride. They barely waited for the footman to open the door to the car, bursting out of the car and rushing into the Palace. They skidded to a halt outside the Infirmary, finding the King Consort and Princesses there. In between gasps for breath, Adair asked, "Any news?"

"Not yet." Ahamo shook his head, looking as worried as Wyatt felt. "Vi and Raw are in there now, doing what they can to help."

Dorotheagael tugged on her father's hand, looking more confused than worried. "Father, why is everyone worried? Shouldn't we be happy the baby wants to meet us sooner?"

"No, because the baby won't be big enough to survive outside Auntie Rose's stomach if he or she is born now," Ahamo explained, stroking her hair soothingly.

Azkadellia moved to hug her sister, suddenly looking very mature for her age. "Just like when Cook makes cookies for us, Deege. They're not ready to eat until they've been in the oven for a certain amount of time. The baby isn't fully cooked yet."

"Oh, okay." Dorotheagael nodded, realization dawning in her eyes. Despite his worry, Wyatt felt a smile a tug at his lips over Azkadellia's explanation, sensing that Adair was stifling a chuckle next to him. A glance at Ahamo showed the King Consort biting his lip in an effort not to smile. The younger Princess' next question soon banished any amusement Wyatt felt: "Is Auntie Rose going to die?"

Ahamo picked her up and held her close. "Not if your mother has anything to say about it."

"And Amber Rose is a fighter," Wyatt added, determined to be optimistic since Adair certainly didn't seem inclined to it for once. "You'll see."

Silence descended as they waited for news. Dorotheagael rested her head on her father's shoulder while Azkadellia stayed close against his side. Wyatt and Adair simply held each other.

* * *

She woke slowly, feeling very sore and drained. The Queen's face hovered above her, lined with concern and exhaustion. Violetta smiled in relief when she saw her friend's eyes open, some of the lines disappearing when she did. "Thank goodness you're awake. We were worried about you for awhile there."

"The baby?" she asked, almost afraid to ask, but needing to know.

The smile faded and the Queen shook her head. "I'm sorry, my friend, but you lost the baby."

"No!" she gasped the word out, trying to prop herself up so she could see her stomach. It was still rounded as if she still carried the baby. "NO!"

Raw looked up from his place at the foot of the bed, his eyes sad and sympathetic as they met hers. "Baby gone. Raw sorry."

" _NO!_ " She covered her face with her hands as devastation swamped her.

As she began to cry, she felt Violetta wrap an arm around her shoulders, squeezing gently. "I'm sorry, Amber Rose."

"Our baby," she whispered between sobs, leaning into the Queen's comforting presence. "It's my fault. I should have given up working in my lab like you suggested."

Violetta's voice was soft and gentle as she responded, "You don't know that's why you lost the baby. There's always a chance of a miscarriage."

"Not for you!" Amber Rose pulled away from her friend, glaring at her even as tears continued to spill down her cheeks. "You had no trouble with Azkadee or DG. How can you know?"

Hurt flashed briefly in lavender eyes, but it was quickly masked. Quietly, the Queen asked, "Would you like us to get Wyatt and Adair? I imagine they're frantic by now."

"Oh, gods, they're going to be angry with me!" Amber Rose rolled onto her side and curled into a ball, futilely protecting her stomach. "They're not going to forgive me for losing the baby."

A gentle hand stroked the dark curls. "They might surprise you. Give them a chance."

"But I lost the baby." She stroked her stomach, despairing. "How can they still love me?"

She gasped when the bed shifted, dipping down on either side of her, closing her eyes tightly, afraid to look and see the expressions on her husbands' faces. Adair's voice accompanied slender fingers gently smoothing her hair back from her face. "We still love you because you're our Amber Rose."

"Our Sweetheart," Wyatt added as he rested his hand on her back. "Yes, we're sad you lost our baby, but losing you would have felt like losing our hearts."

She refused to open her eyes, flinching each time they shifted their weight or fingers. "You say that now, but you'll hate me later."

"We could never hate you, Amber," Adair whispered directly into her ear. "It'd be like hating ourselves if we did."

With gentle persistence, Wyatt rolled Amber Rose onto her back. She kept her knees tucked against her chest and her eyes closed. "Sweetheart, don't shut us out."

"We're not going anywhere," Adair added as he and Wyatt worked together to uncurl her legs.

She whimpered as she felt them stretch out on either side of her, cocooning her with their warm strength. Part of her wanted to just melt into their arms and sob, but another part was afraid that they'd abandon her in the midst of it. Wyatt took her right hand and held it over his heart. "It's beating for you, Sweetheart, alternating 'Amber' and 'Adair' with each beat."

"Marriages are for better or for worse, for good or for bad." Adair took her left hand and kissed the ring on the third finger. "You know that."

Sobbing again, she turned and buried her face in Adair's chest, clinging to him. When she felt Wyatt press against her back, she blindly reached a hand behind her. After a moment of panic, she felt him take it and twine their fingers together. "I'm so sorry!"

"Don't be, Sweetheart." Wyatt kissed the back of her neck. "This baby wasn't meant to be. We need to accept that."

Adair kissed the top of her head. "Maybe the gods have a reason for taking this baby from us."

"Just hold me," she whispered, clinging more tightly to them.

Much to her relief, they did just that.

* * *

Several moons cycles after the miscarriage, Wyatt answered a knock on the door to find the last person he expected. "Mrs. Walker! What brings you here?"

"I've come to see Amber Rose," Bernadette answered, meeting his eyes for the first time that he could recall.

He stepped back and opened the door wider. "Come in. Amber Rose is in the--" his voice hitched briefly "--nursery."

"How has she been?" Bernadette let him take her coat and hang it in the hall closet. "I know Adair is worried about her."

He nodded, gesturing for her to follow him into the living room. "We both are. She spends most of her time in the nursery and she never leaves the cottage." He glanced at his mother-in-law. Her eyes were soft and sympathetic. "Amber barely lets us kiss her, let alone anything more."

"And you two have been frustrated by that, I'm sure." Her eyes twinkled, briefly reminding him of Adair.

Reluctantly, Wyatt nodded again. "Yeah, but we have each other at least."

"It's not the same without Amber Rose, I wager." Bernadette's frankness astonished the Tin Man. He'd expected her to be more circumvent about referring to their relationship. She saved him from formulating a reply by asking, "Which way is the nursery?"

He led her to the appropriate door. "We still hope to use it as a nursery someday."

"I would love to see it used as a nursery someday, too." She smiled at him and lightly knocked on the door.

Amber Rose's reply was muffled, but clear enough. "I want to be left alone!"

"I'm sorry, Amber Rose, but I can't do that," Bernadette opened the door and stepped into the room, closing the door behind her.

Resisting the urge to eavesdrop, Wyatt went into the kitchen to begin making dinner. Perhaps Amber Rose would actually want to eat something tonight.

By the time Adair got home, neither woman had emerged from the nursery, though Wyatt was reasonably certain he'd heard crying. He greeted his husband with a kiss. "Hello, Darling."

"Hello, Love." Adair returned the kiss, glancing at the nursery door as he leaned against the counter to watch Wyatt. "Has Amber come out at all today?"

Wyatt shook his head, comforted by Adair's presence. "No, but part of that is because your mother is in there with her."

"Mother's here?" Adair's eyes were wide with shock as he stared at the nursery door again. "She told me once she'd never come so long as you were living here."

He smiled wryly. "That was a lie, apparently."

"Apparently." Adair shook his head disbelievingly. "Should I set the table for four?"

Wyatt nodded. "Yes, I have a feeling your mother will finally get Amber to start living again."

"I hope so, too," Adair agreed, setting the table with the best they could offer. "If she manages, do you want to give Amber our gift?"

Another nod as Wyatt carefully scooped dinner onto a serving platter. "Yes, she will need to know that we still love her."

Both men stopped and turned when they heard a door open and close. After a short silence, the two women appeared in the doorway, looking as if they'd both been crying. Amber Rose looked from one to the other of her husbands, guilt flashing in her eyes. Bernadette nudged her gently. "Go to them. They've missed you."

"Sweetheart." "Amber."

"Wyatt. Adair." The three of them met in the space between the kitchen and the dining room, wrapping their arms around each other. "I missed you two so much. I just didn't know how to face the world."

Adair kissed the top of Amber Rose's head. "We understand. We were worried about you."

"I know, and I'm sorry for causing the worry." She lifted her head so she could smile at each of them. For the first time since she'd lost the baby, her smile reached her eyes. "I can't guarantee I'm completely better, but I've made a start."

Wyatt kissed her cheek, smiling quietly. "We'll help you as much as we can."

"I know." She kissed him softly, and then Adair. "I love you both."

"And I love you." The two men spoke almost in unison, causing the three of them to laugh at the coincidence, their first real laughter since the miscarriage.

Amber Rose gently turned in their arms, smiling at her mother-in-law. "Thank you, Bernadette."

"You're welcome, Amber Rose." The older woman took this as an invitation to join them. "I told you they still love you." Bernadette stood on tiptoe to kiss her son's cheek. "Take good care of her, Adair."

Adair nodded, his glance sliding briefly to Wyatt. "As much as she'll let me, Mother."

Bernadette turned to Wyatt, her cheeks reddening a little as she faced the Tin Man. "I want to apologize for the way Farris and I have treated you in the past. It was very wrong of us. It's obvious now that you make Adair happy. That's all that should have mattered to us."

"Thank you, Mrs. Walker." Wyatt was pleasantly surprised by her apology. The cynical Tin Man in him still wondered if it was just words, though.

The next moment, Bernadette stretched up to kiss his cheek as well. "Take good care of them both, Wyatt."

"To the best of my abilities," he answered, a little stunned. She nodded and smiled, slipping out of the room before any of them could stop her. Turning to the other two, he asked, "Did that just happen or did I dream it all?"

Adair was smiling, relief evident in his eyes. "It just happened, Love."

Laughing, they all sat down to eat. Much to Wyatt and Adair's relief, Amber Rose ate most of her portion. It was another sign that she was on her way to being her old self once more. When Adair got up to serve dessert, he placed a wrapped box on Amber Rose's plate. She stared at it. "What's this?"

"A gift from us to you, Sweetheart," Wyatt replied. "Go on and open it."

Glancing from one to the other, she slowly unwrapped the gift to find an elegant jeweler's box underneath. "Is this another ring?"

"Open it and find out," Adair encouraged, a hint of anticipation in his smile.

Raising her eyebrows, Amber Rose lifted the lid of the box to reveal an amber pendant set in silver. The gem itself had been carved intaglio into three distinctive roses. "Oh, it's beautiful!"

"Read the back," Adair urged, leaning forward in his seat.

She lifted the pendant from its bed of cotton and read the message engraved on the back: "Our Precious Sweetheart." She looked up at them, brown eyes shining. "I will never forget that again."

"We believe you, Precious," Adair replied, getting up to move around the table and take Amber Rose in his arms, kissing her soundly.

Wyatt joined them once Adair finished, kissing each of them in turn. "And we'll _always_ love you, Sweetheart."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone's curious about what the necklace looks like, [here's](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0903/jestana/amber-rose-pendant.png) a picture.


	18. Broken Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lot happens during the first ten annuals of Jeb's life.

An annual later found Amber Rose in the Palace Infirmary once more. This time, Wyatt and Adair were on either side of her, encouraging her and reassuring her that she was doing fine. "I can see the head, Amber Rose. Just one more push." Straining, Amber Rose did just that, collapsing back against the pillows when she felt the baby slide out and into the medico's waiting hands. Tears sprang to her eyes the moment a wavering cry filled the room. "It's a boy! You have a son."

After what seemed like an eternity, the baby was in her arms and she gasped as he fed for the first time. "Oh, he's perfect."

"Just like his mother," Adair commented, kissing the top of her head.

"I'm a mess." She smiled tiredly up at him, forgetting all the discomfort and pain of the pregnancy and labor in the joys of motherhood.

Wyatt kissed her temple. "A beautiful mess."

"Now you're teasing," she laughed softly, her eyes drooping as the strain of labor finally caught up with her.

Deftly, Wyatt took the baby from her arms. "Sleep now, Sweetheart. We'll tell the others."

"Yes, introduce them to Jeb," she agreed sleepily, snuggling into her pillows.

Adair kissed her cheek. "Just sleep, Precious."

She was asleep before the door had even clicked shut behind her husbands.

* * *

Jeb was three annuals old when a bad flu kept the Cain-Walker family from traveling to Finaqua with the Royal Family. "We're very sorry about this, Ahamo."

"It's quite all right, Wyatt," the King Consort assured the Tin Man. "If Jeb is too sick to travel, then he's too sick to travel."

Wyatt nodded, his heart clenching at the thought of his son so sick. Normally a bright, curious child, Jeb had grown pale and languorous as his illness had progressed. Now, he was confined to his bed in the nursery, light brown curls clinging to his sweat-damp forehead, brown eyes bright with fever rather than his customary curiosity. "Would the Queen like Amber Rose to go at least?"

"No, a mother's place is with her sick child," Ahamo quickly responded. "I doubt Amber Rose would agree to the idea anyway."

The Tin Man nodded again. "I felt it best to ask anyway."

"For future reference, don't ask at all." The King Consort's eyes gleamed with humor for a moment. "Just make sure Jeb gets well, okay?"

"Of course."

* * *

By the time the Royal Family returned from Finaqua, Jeb was well into his recovery from the flu. Late one night, several moons after their return, Amber Rose and her husbands were awakened by frantic knocking on the cottage door. "That can't be good."

"Of course it isn't, Darling," Wyatt retorted as they scrambled from the bed and into their dressing gowns. "It's the middle of the night."

Hurt flashed briefly in Adair's eyes and Amber Rose took a moment to kiss his cheek. "He's always grumpy when he gets up in the middle of the night."

"I am not!" Wyatt growled with a glare.

She glanced at her other husband with a smirk. "See?"

"Yes, Precious." Adair was smiling now.

Amber Rose hurried to the front door, opening it to find a familiar figure swathed in a cloak on the porch, Dortheagael held protectively in front of her. "Your Majesty."

"Don't curtsy," Violetta quickly commanded her friend as she entered the sitting room. "No one must know that I am here."

The Royal Advisor closed the door behind the Queen as Wyatt and Adair entered the sitting room from the bedroom. "What is it? Has something happened?"

"Azkadellia killed DG," Violetta explained, pushing back the hood of her cloak. All three adults gasped when they saw the Queen's hair. It had faded from its vibrant black to pale silver. "I was able to bring her back, but she is no longer safe here in the O.Z."

Wyatt scratched his head. "What do you want us to do, then?"

"Are the nurture units ready?" the Queen addressed Amber Rose, ignoring him for the moment.

The Royal Advisor nodded, her heart heavy as she realized that the Queen had been correct to make the preparations that she had. "Yes. Everything is ready."

"What's going on?" Adair demanded, striding forward. "What are nurture units?"

Amber Rose explained even as her eyes dropped to the Princess huddled in her mother's arms. "Cyborgs designed and programmed to be loving parents for a child who has lost his or hers."

"Or must be raised in secret," Violetta added, drawing her hood up once more. "We must be careful. This is proof of what I feared."

With that, she and Dortheagael disappeared from the cottage. Wyatt and Adair turned to their wife, questions in their eyes. "You've noticed the change in Azkadellia, I'm sure." Both men nodded. The elder Princess, once so warm and kind, had become cool and aloof. Her remarks were often cutting and cruel, especially towards Dorotheagael and Jeb. "Violetta told me that Azkadee and DG went exploring in the woods without supervision one day. They returned separately, DG in tears and Azkadee as she is now." Amber Rose trembled as she finished her explanation, grieving for the young Princess. "She believes Azkadee has been possessed by an evil spirit that's known to haunt one of the caves there."

"What can we do?" Adair asked as he and Wyatt each wrapped an arm around Amber Rose, their other arms automatically wrapping around each other.

She shook her head, closing her eyes. "From dreams she's had about this, Violetta believes the only person with the strength to save Azkadee is DG."

"But she's sending DG away!" Adair protested, sounding frustrated. "How will that save Az?"

Amber Rose sighed softly. "DG is too young right now. She needs a chance to grow up."

"Didn't the Queen say DG wasn't safe in the O.Z.?" It sounded like Wyatt was frowning.

She nodded this time, swallowing several times before she could reply. "Yes. She's sending DG to the Other Side."

* * *

Jeb was six annuals old when Azkadellia began forming a power base to overthrow the Queen. As the reports on her numbers and activities grew increasingly grim and threatening, Amber Rose insisted that Wyatt and Adair take Jeb and raise him somewhere far from the Palace. "What about you, Sweetheart?"

"My place is here, Wyatt," she replied, resting her hand over his heart to feel the strong beat. "I am the Royal Advisor. I cannot abandon the Queen now."

Adair's expression was grim as he covered her hand with his. "We'll stay with you. We can't leave you to be captured alone."

"No." She shook her head, swallowing hard. She'd known this would be difficult. "If you stay, Jeb will be captured, too. I don't want to think of what Azkadee would do to him."

Wyatt and Adair glanced at each other for a moment before looking back at Amber. "We can send Jeb to stay at the ranch with my family. They'd care for him like he was their own."

"Please, Wyatt, Adair." She looked from one to the other, resting her free hand over Adair's heart now. "Jeb needs two of his parents at least. I'll find you when this is all over."

Adair gazed intently into her eyes. "Promise?"

"I promise." She held his gaze for a moment before looking at Wyatt. "Both of you. We'll be together again."

Unable to articulate the emotions in his heart, Wyatt pulled Amber Rose into a hungry kiss. She responded with a moan, gasping when Adair pressed against her back, sweeping her hair to one side to kiss her neck. _The gods alone know when we'll see each other again..._

* * *

Jeb was just ten annuals old when the Longcoats found the three of them in a small cottage off the Brick Route. Wyatt had quickly become a leader in the Resistance once Azkadellia--now calling herself the Sorceress--took power and, thus, a target for the Longcoats in their efforts to stamp out any opposition to the Sorceress. It was no surprise to Wyatt that Zero led the squad that attacked them. It was just like the man to pursue a vendetta years after it had grown old.

Though all three of them fought hard, the Longcoats overwhelmed them through sheer numbers. They were shackled together as an iron suit was prepared. Zero taunted them as his men worked, "You should feel special, Cain. Few Resistance members get such a punishment."

"I'll try not to let it go to my head," Wyatt answered dryly, his skin itching where the blood had dried.

"It's a pity your slut isn't here with you," Zero commented almost idly.

Adair and Wyatt both glared at the Longcoat, struggling against their bonds. Jeb only looked confused. "What's a 'slut'?"

"In this particular case, your mother," Zero sneered as he backhanded both Wyatt and Adair. "She couldn't keep her legs closed at all."

Wyatt struggled even harder. "Bastard! You won't get away with this!"

"Oh, but it looks like I am," the Longcoat captain nodded to his men and they took firm hold of Wyatt before unshackling him from Adair and Jeb. "No one is stopping me, after all."

Wyatt fought even as the men dragged him to the suit. Adair and Jeb struggled as well, ignoring the guards who restrained them. "Someone will! You'll see!"

"No. They won't." Zero's smile was scornful. "Good-bye, Wyatt Cain."

"Father!" "Wyatt!" Those were the last words Wyatt heard before the suit clanged shut and he was locked away, forced to watch the agony of that day over and over again until he lost count.


	19. Two Roads Merging

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Husband and wife are reunited. Sort of.

She wasn't sure why the girl the Resistance Fighters of the Eastern Guild shoved into the cage with her seemed familiar. She was dressed in the strangest clothes and the way she talked was so odd. She rarely spoke in rhymes and, when she did, it seemed to be purely by accident, rather than intentional. After the two Eastern Guilders had walked off, the young woman--who'd called herself DG when she'd been asked--finally turned her attention to her cell mate, getting to her feet. "What are you doing?"

"Up here? Little--" she raised her voice for the next words "--ankle biters thought it might be funny to keep me hanging around." An idea struck her and she added hopefully, "Loosen that rope and I might have the last laugh!" DG hesitated, glancing at the rope, and then back at her cellmate. Said cellmate pressed her point: "C'mon, Doll! If mom and pop really are on the route to Central City, then you're falling further and further behind."

The girl's attention seemed to sharpen at that. "You know the way?"

"Sure!" She vaguely knew Central City was to the west, but she didn't know exactly where it was. If she'd ever been there, she'd forgotten. Instead of mentioning that small fact, she told DG, "But it's kinda hard to give directions from up here." Raising her eyebrows, she finished, "Unless you have a better offer?"

That seemed to decide the question because the rope was loosened and she was finally able to slide off the uncomfortable perch, her stiff muscles protesting the movement. As she dusted off her skirt and blouse, the girl asked, "What the hell?"

"Hey, you aren't so hot on first glance either, Honey!" The girl stared as if she'd never seen a person with a zipper in their head. When DG didn't look away, her cellmate began to wonder if something was wrong. "I-is there a problem?"

The girl seemed to realize she was staring and smiled awkwardly. "Oh, um..." She vaguely waved her hand above her head. The woman stared blankly. Finally, DG explained, "Your zipper's undone."

"Oh! Didn't mean to offend!" That was different! Carefully, she reached up to pull the zipper closed. The Eastern Guilders must have opened it to be sure the woman hadn't had a weapon hidden up there. "Gotta be careful not to lose your marbles. But, since the Sorceress made her medicos take mine... well, you flick the abacus."

As she finished removing the rope that had kept her tied to her perch, the girl asked, "Why would they take your brain?"

"Because of what I know. Or used to know. Whatever it was." She paused, looking into the middle distance as she once again reached for that information, whatever it could be, but nothing was there. She noticed DG in front of her and said, "Name's Glitch! On account of sometimes my synapses don't fire right." What was she saying? Oh, yeah! She'd introduced herself. "Sometimes my synapses don't fire right."

The girl smiled weakly. "You just said that."

Glitch gave DG a blank look. "Did I?" She didn't remember that, but then, she'd named herself 'Glitch' for a reason. Forcing a laugh, she said. "There I go, glitching again!"

"And here I was thinking this nightmare couldn't get any weirder." The girl was staring at Glitch with a bemused look on her face.

Shaking her head, Glitch told DG, "This isn't a nightmare. This is the O.Z. The Outer Zone. Used to be a piece of heaven, too. Before Azkadee got her claws into it."

"Azkadellia! Sorceress of darkness!" Glitch nodded, vaguely remembering something about the Eastern Guilders asking about Azkadellia. "Village raider. Brain thief."

The next moment, the Eastern Guilders were distracted by the arrival of a troop of Longcoats. Something about the leader sent shivers down Glitch's spine, even though she couldn't remember having met him before. _Of course, I **could** have met him before. Either way, I don't want to meet him at all right now…_ At that moment, DG climbed down out of the cage, hanging from the bottom. "DG, what are you doing?"

"I have an idea," the girl replied, beginning to swing the cage back and forth, making Glitch grab onto the bars to keep herself steady.

The woman held on for dear life as each swing of the cage lengthened. "I'm not sure this is such a good idea."

At the right moment, DG let go of the cage and used her momentum to jump onto the wooden walkway, almost exactly where the two Eastern Guilders had been standing when they'd been interrogating the girl. Looking back as she stepped over the rope railing, DG gestured to Glitch. "Come on, we don't have much time!"

"This is a not good idea," Glitch muttered, even as she eased herself down through the hole and swung the cage towards the walkway. She hooked her feet around the rope and felt DG grab hold of them. Taking a deep breath, she let go of the cage and swung her upper body up towards the walkway. The girl grabbed her hands and helped her get her feet back under her.

Being as quiet as possible while the Longcoats distracted the Eastern Guilders, they shimmied down a rope and disappeared into the woods, heading to Central City.

* * *

He'd long ago lost count of the number of times he'd watched Zero capture and torment his family. It had been long enough that he was numbed to the emotional pain and anguish of that day. Then, right in the middle of his attempt to defend his son, the images disappeared. He gazed in anguish at an abandoned, dilapidated version of the home he'd shared with his husband and son. _How long has it been...?_ As he stared blankly, the front of the Iron Suit swung open, letting out a cloud of dust. Gradually, without the support of the metal shell, Wyatt fell to his knees. Lifting his head, he took in the two women who'd apparently rescued him. One was very young, perhaps twenty annuals old; almost more of a girl than a woman. The other, though, made his heart leap, and then shatter. She was Amber Rose, but not the proud, straight-backed woman who'd posed for a portrait with the Queen. Or even the sweet, loving mother who'd adored their son. No, she was a zipperhead now, treated like nothing more than a common criminal. Softly, he whispered, "Amber..."

"I'm sorry?" It was the younger woman who replied, offering her hands to help him up.

He took her hands and struggled to his feet. When he would have stumbled, Amber Rose caught him with an arm around his waist, no hint of recognition in the brown eyes he loved so much. "Careful. Your legs won't support you yet."

"I know," he whispered, leaning into her gratefully. _She doesn't remember me, but she's alive!_

The girl supported him on the other side. "Just bend and flex your legs, Sir. Best therapy for them right now."

"Wyatt Cain," he told her shortly, carefully doing as she suggested. He had no wish to fall down again.

Once he felt his legs could hold his weight, Wyatt pulled away from the two women and walked over to the fence post where the T.D.E.S.P.H.T.L. had been mounted. Amber Rose had invented the Tri-Dimensional Energy Storage Projected Holographic Time Loop as a way to record significant moments in their life together. Now, it would forever be connected with the torment of the last however many annuals. He reached out and pulled the invention from the post with some effort. The girl finally spoke after he'd dropped the gadget, "Is Wyatt Cain your name?"

"Yeah." He turned to the remains of the house and ducked inside. It was covered with dust and vegetative debris, most of the furniture having been overturned and/or thoroughly trashed. _Don't think anyone's been in here at all since then. The recording probably kept them away..._

Hesitant footsteps behind him reminded him of the two women and he ducked into the master bedroom to retrieve a change of clothes. Amber Rose had invented a little something to preserve clothes despite years of neglect, probably in anticipation of such an eventuality. The large bed he'd only ever shared with Adair had been smashed to pieces, the mattress and bedding slashed and shot through. After changing, he dug his shaving kit--miraculously unharmed--out from under the bathroom sink and returned to the main room to find the two women standing and staring at the mess. The girl looked at him, big blue eyes sympathetic, "Someone _really_ didn't like you, did they, Mr. Cain?"

"I was a well-known leader of the Resistance," he informed her, wondering why there was something familiar about _her_. As far as he knew, he'd never seen her before. "Of _course_ the Sorceress and her Longcoats hated me."

He walked past them and back outside, treading the familiar path down to the dock on the nearby lake. Many lazy afternoons had been spent floating on the water with Adair and Jeb. Pushing away the happy memories, he knelt on the dock and prepared to wash and trim his hair and beard. As he worked, he heard the girl ask, "Resistance?"

"People who oppose the Sorceress' rule," Amber Rose explained, their voices carrying in the still air. "They want the Queen to rule like she once did."

Wyatt's heart clenched to hear Amber Rose speak of Violetta and Azkadellia in such a detached, emotionless way; as if they were strangers instead of the only family she'd known apart from him, Adair, and Jeb. _Guess the headcasing worked **really** well..._

"And if they caught anyone who resisted...?" the girl's voice trailed off as Wyatt snipped and trimmed, feeling more like himself with each hank of hair that fell from his head.

There was quiet sympathy in Amber Rose's voice when she replied, "Then they were punished for opposing at all."

"And that's what the recording was about?" Wyatt finished trimming and stirred the shaving cream before covering his beard with it. "He just had to stand there and watch as his family got tortured over and over again?"

He began to shave, rinsing his razor in the water each time, while Amber Rose answered quietly, "Yeah. The most imaginative tortures are reserved those who resist Azkadellia."

"You don't know how right you are," he muttered, continuing to shave. He and Adair had known that Amber Rose's loyalty to the Queen would be severely punished, but neither had expected something like this. It broke what remained of his heart to see Amber so different, yet not.

He finished shaving and wiped the last of the cream from his face, picking up his shaving kit to return it to the house. He couldn't take it with him, not given his plan to find Zero and kill him. The girl looked up at his approach, asking softly, "How long were you trapped in there?"

"Since that was a sapling." He indicated a tree nearby, remembering what it had looked like mere days before the Longcoats had come. He paused on the threshold of the house. "Much obliged for the help."

The girl cleared her throat, following as he re-entered the house. "You're welcome, Mr. Cain. I'm DG, by the way, and this is--"

"DG?" he repeated, turning to face her as she entered with Amber Rose on her heels. Something about the name was familiar.

She nodded, looking confused. "Yeah, it's short for Dorothy Gale." She turned and indicated Amber Rose: "This is Glitch."

"Nice to meet you." He turned around and disappeared into the master bedroom, putting the shaving kit away as thoughts whirled through his head. _She **has** to be Princess DG. Amber Rose said she was the only one who could save Az, but Violetta was sending her to the Other Side until she could. Does that mean that the Sorceress' reign is almost over?_ His heart pounding, he knelt and pried up one of the floorboards, pulling out the tin box he, Adair, and Jeb had used to hide their most prized possessions: his gun, Tin Man badge, and the wooden horse.

He slipped on the holster for the gun and strapped it to his thigh, checking that his ammunition was good. He picked up the badge and stared at it. Adair hadn't wanted him to forget that he was, first and foremost, a Tin Man. _"You may be part of the Resistance right now, Love, but you're a Tin Man through and through."_ He slipped it into his pocket and picked up the horse, tucking it into his vest pocket. Going to the wardrobe, he grabbed his coat and hat. He had a feeling there was hard traveling ahead and he wanted to be prepared. With that in mind, he pulled up the false bottom of the wardrobe and pulled out the pre-packed bag and the spare underneath it. Aware that they were being hunted, he and Adair had prepared and hidden the two bags weeks before Zero had come. _No food, but we can forage along the way..._ When he re-entered the main room, DG and Amber Rose--no, Glitch--were waiting for him. DG tilted her head curiously when she saw him: "Are you going somewhere Mr. Cain?"

"Central City," he told them, meeting their eyes briefly, and then looked away under the pretext of putting the empty knapsack inside the packed one. He tried not to think of happier times with both of them as he closed the bag and slung it onto his back. "It's where Zero was headed."

DG grinned as he exited the house, following him. "Great! We'll go with you!"

"It's not going to be an easy journey," he warned her, glancing over his shoulder.

She shrugged as Glitch emerged from the house behind her. "I'm just looking for my parents."

"And I'm looking for my brain," Glitch added with a bright smile.

"Maybe we can help each other," DG finished, glancing at Glitch, and then back at Wyatt.

He sighed, rubbing his eyes. "My husband and son are gone, but I'll take you wherever you need to go, if only to keep you out of trouble."

She raised her eyebrows. "I've been tossed into a storm, trussed up by lawn gnomes, and chased by madmen on horseback. What could be worse?"

"Papays," he answered shortly, turning to continue on. "I've seen 'em gnaw people in half inside of thirty seconds. Just stay behind me and keep your mouths shut."

Thankfully, neither woman said anything as they fell into step behind him. Wyatt could only wonder how much bruising his heart could take. This was going to be a long trip.


	20. Changing Direction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wyatt offers DG a choice of where to go.

Glitch meandered along at the back of their little procession, just watching her three traveling companions. The most recent of them was Raw, a Viewer they'd rescued from the Field of the Papay. Right before they'd all jumped off a cliff and into a river. Glitch hadn't known she could swim until she'd been in the water, her arms and legs moving before her half-a-brain caught up. _Muscle memory: even if the brain forgets, the muscles don't! I wonder what other memories my muscles have that I don't..._

"Glitch! Hurry up!" DG's voice distracted Glitch and she realized that she'd slowly come to a stop while thinking.

Shaking her head at herself, the headcase broke into a jog to catch up with DG. After they'd dragged themselves out of the river, they'd found the Old Road and something about it had led DG to Milltown: a cyborgs-only village that had seen better days. The days before the Sorceress decided to 'erase' it. It had seemed familiar to Glitch, but she forgot so much that it was really no surprise when something or someone struck her as familiar. "Sorry, DG. My mind wandered and my feet stopped."

"It's okay." DG patted Glitch's shoulder, her smile only half-hearted.

Glitch reached up and caught DG's hand in hers. "Are you okay?"

"I just found out that I've been raised by robots and my mother abandoned me." DG sighed deeply, looking very sad.

Wyatt's voice startled both of them. "She didn't abandon you, DG. She saved you."

"Saved me?" DG looked up at him with surprise. So did Glitch. _How does he know?_

He smiled wryly, gesturing to the road. "Let's keep moving and I'll tell you along the way."

"Oh. Kay." DG frowned as she walked along beside Wyatt, Glitch close behind. Raw brought up the rear. He was the only one who didn't seem surprised.

As they walked, Wyatt explained, "Your mother is the Queen. Azkadellia is your sister. Glitch was once the Royal Advisor, Amber Rose. She was headcased for her loyalty to the Queen."

"I _knew_ I wasn't a criminal!" Glitch grinned brightly at the thought. Then she blinked at stared at Wyatt. "Wait, why would a Tin Man know all this?"

The blond glanced at Glitch briefly, and then turned to DG. "Can two men on the Other Side have a child?"

"Only if they adopt or use a surrogate." DG looked puzzled and even exchanged a glance with Glitch behind the ex-Tin Man's back. "Why do you ask?"

Wyatt sighed, rubbing his eyes with one hand. "It's the same in the O.Z. Except Adair and I didn't have a surrogate. We had a wife."

"Why wasn't she in the recording?" DG looked sad. "Was she dead?"

This time, when Wyatt replied, his eyes were on Glitch. "She was Amber Rose."

"Wait, is this the Royal Advisor Amber Rose?" Glitch asked, wide-eyed. _He's saying we were **married**? And had a son?_

Wyatt nodded, his eyes never leaving Glitch's. "Yes."

* * *

He'd been prepared for a variety of reactions from Glitch, but certainly not fainting. He glanced at Raw, who'd been quiet, as Viewers usually were. "Is she all right?"

"Yes. Brain overload." Raw had examined her briefly, and then helped Wyatt scoop her up into his arms. "Wondered if you tell."

Wyatt settled Glitch against his chest, comforted by her familiar weight in his arms. "I have a feeling the Queen has set up an elaborate journey for DG to go on that would take more time than necessary. I'm just shortening it a bit."

"What are you talking about, Mr. Cain?" DG sounded exasperated and annoyed, not that he blamed her.

He started forward once more, trusting DG's curiosity would keep her from lagging behind. "Fifteen annuals ago, the Royal Family went to stay at Finaqua for the summer, as they always did. Until then, Azkadellia had always been very sweet and kind. She was going to be a good successor to your mother."

"But she's not, is she?" As he'd expected, DG was walking along beside him. "I mean, look what she did to Milltown."

Wyatt noticed that Glitch's eyelids fluttered, but she didn't move otherwise. "That's because something happened to her while you were staying at Finaqua. She was very different when she returned. She was cold and cruel, insulting you and Jeb every chance she got."

"Jeb?" Glitch asked the question and cringed the moment they all looked at her.

He reluctantly stopped and let her stand on her own feet. "Our son. He'd be eighteen annuals old if he's still alive at all."

"Are you sure he's _ours_?" Glitch asked, straightening her coat.

Raw answered for Wyatt, nodding. "Wyatt Jeb's father. Not Adair."

"You could only know if you've _met_ Jeb." Glitch glanced at Raw suspiciously.

Wyatt reached over to pat Raw's shoulder. "He did. He helped you give birth to Jeb."

"Oh." Glitch smiled sunnily at the Viewer. "Thanks for that! Thanks for that! Thanks--"

He bumped Glitch's shoulder with his own under the pretext of continuing on the way. "Anyway, something happened during that trip to Finaqua that changed everything. Several moons later, Az killed you."

"But I'm here." DG glanced down at herself as she fell into step with him, genuinely puzzled. "I'm not a ghost or anything."

Wyatt shook his head, gratified that Glitch was keeping up this time. "No, your mother was able to bring you back, but it took much of her magic to do it. She sent you to the Other Side with the nurture units to keep you safe from Az."

"I still don't understand how you know all this," Glitch was frowning in a way that Wyatt had once found irresistible. More than once in the past, he'd felt compelled to kiss away the frown lines wrinkling her brow at times like this. Now, he felt only a pang of sadness. "Even as the husband of the Royal Advisor, you shouldn't know."

He smiled faintly. "You helped the Queen and, when the time came, you told Adair and I what she planned to do."

"This is all great and everything, but now what?" DG sounded frustrated. "I know about my past, even if I don't remember it."

Wyatt stopped, then, turning to face her. "We can go on to Central City to see the Mystic Man, or we can go to Finaqua."

"Why Finaqua?" DG frowned up at him.

Glitch answered before he could, her brain still working fast even when it was only half there. "Because that's where Azkadee changed."

"DG remember if she go to Finaqua," Raw added from his place at Glitch's other side.

She looked at Wyatt, curious. "You said the Mystic Man was a good man?"

"He is, but he couldn't have told you where your mother is like Father Vue said he would," Wyatt explained apologetically. "No one knows what Azkadellia did with her."

DG was quiet for a long moment, deep in thought. Finally, she lifted her eyes to meet Wyatt's. "Let's go to Finaqua."

* * *

Zero watched impassively as the Sorceress interrogated the Mystic Man, to no avail. Apparently, their quarry had never reached the Mystic Man. Leaving him slumped and unconscious in his wheelchair, the Sorceress stalked out of the interrogation room. "Have your men search Central City. The brat may be waiting to go see him."

"Already done, Sorceress," he assured her, following her down the hallway. "The thought had already occurred to me as well."

She didn't slow her pace or even glance at him. "Good. Oh, you may want to have them look for the little bitch's companions, too."

"Her companions?" the Longcoat asked, cursing the fact that he'd missed something.

The Sorceress led him into her office and touched a button on her desk. A machine whirred to life. "Watch."

A three dimensional image appeared above the device, depicting the girl at first, from the shoulders up. Then it dissolved into another headshot a few seconds later. "That bitch!"

"I thought you'd remember the former Royal Advisor." The Sorceress sounded smug. She indicated the image as it began to dissolve. "What about him?"

The headshot that followed was even more familiar to Zero. "Cain? When did he manage to escape the Suit?"

"I'm guessing my brat of a little sister let him out," she sneered as a fourth headshot appeared: a Viewer Zero didn't recognize. "She always was a soft-hearted bitch."

The Longcoat watched as the machine cycled through the four headshots again. "Headcases rarely remember anything about their pasts, so Amber Rose couldn't tell her anything."

"Cain has an excellent memory, though." The Sorceress touched the button again, freezing the device as it showed Wyatt's headshot. "He could have told her what she needed to know."

She touched another button and the image disappeared entirely. "So they might not go to Central City at all."

"Keep your men searching anyway," the Sorceress ordered him. "I'll have my spies search the O.Z. for them."

He bowed and exited her office, walking briskly as he made his way to the front entrance of the Tower. Outwardly, he was calm and composed. Inwardly, he was seething. _How the **hell** did Cain get out of the Suit? That recording was supposed to keep people away **much** more than eight annuals!_ He smirked as he reached the front steps, a delicious idea occurring to him at that moment. _At least it will give me the pleasure of torturing him **and** that slut of his. It's a pity Walker is dead, though. Then I could have tortured all three of them..._

He mounted his horse and started for Central City, his gleeful laughter at the thought of torturing Wyatt and Amber Rose trailing behind him. "Oh, the things I could do to them."


	21. Travels

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A slice of traveling life.

When they stopped for the night, Glitch hesitantly approached Wyatt as he started a fire. She cleared her throat. "Hi, Wyatt."

"Oh, hey, Glitch." The ex-Tin Man looked up at her with a faint smile. "Would you like to help me cook the fish I caught earlier?"

The former Royal Advisor stared at him in surprise. "I don't know how much help I'll be, but, yes, I'd like that."

"Thanks." Wyatt handed her a pan he'd pulled out of the knapsack he'd brought with him. "Just hold this while I prepare the fish."

She nodded and held the pan for him, watching as he rubbed spices and seasonings into the four moderately-sized fish he'd caught earlier in the day. They'd stopped at a stream to have a drink and splash water on their faces late that afternoon. After a moment's thought, Wyatt had pulled a case out of his bag and opened it to reveal what looked like a bunch of sticks connected by a cord of some kind. When he'd assembled it, though, DG had exclaimed, "A fishing pole!"

"Yeah, let's just hope the fish are biting today." Wyatt hadn't looked at the Princess as he said it, though, his focus on the lure he was tying to the end of the fishing line.

While he'd fished, Raw had disappeared into the woods with the spare bag. By the time Wyatt caught enough fish, the Viewer had returned with the bag half-full of berries. At the ex-Tin Man's curious look, Raw explained, "Go good with fish."

"Thanks, Raw." Wyatt took time to clean and gut the fish before wrapping them in brown paper to carefully place on top of the berries.

Glitch smiled at the thought of a hot supper and berries. "It's a pity we don't have anything to drink to go with this. I'd love a hot cup of cider."

"You have cider here?" DG asked from across the fire, looking curious.

Glitch nodded as Wyatt placed the first prepared fish in the pan and started on the next fish. "Of course we do. Don't you have cider on the Other Side?"

"Yeah, but I thought everything was different in the O.Z." It didn't escape Glitch's notice that DG carefully didn't watch as Wyatt placed the second fish in the pan.

Wyatt answered this time, his eyes on the third fish. "We're a little different, not completely."

"So I'm starting to find out," DG commented wryly, glancing up with a smile when Raw sat down beside her. "You're awfully well prepared for roughing it, Mr. Cain."

He didn't say anything until he'd placed the last fish in the pan and took it back from Glitch to hold over the fire. "Adair and I hoped that one of us would be able to get away from the Longcoats and disappear into the woods."

"So you packed the bag with everything you'd need and hid it?" Glitch asked the question this time, watching the fish cook.

Wyatt nodded. "Yeah. The fact that it was still where we hid it told me Adair hadn't managed to get away."

Glitch rested her hand on his arm, noticing the sad tone that had entered his voice. "I wish he'd managed to get away."

"Thanks, Sweetheart." He glanced at her, gratefulness flashing in his eyes, and then returned his attention to the cooking fish.

She blinked in surprise, wondering at the term of endearment. Glancing at DG and Raw, Glitch leaned in to whisper, "Have you always called me that?"

"Called you what?" Wyatt looked at her, puzzled, leaning closer so he could hear her.

After a moment, Glitch told him, "You called me Sweetheart."

"It slipped out," he replied, his cheeks looking a little pink. "I hope you don't mind."

She shook her head, smiling. "No, I liked it. I was just surprised."

"I'm glad, because it may slip out again," he warned her with the barest hint of a wink.

Glitch nodded, her smile fading. "About us, Cain--"

"Please, call me Wyatt," he interrupted, pulling a cooking fork out of his bag to prod the fish. "Seems rather ridiculous for you to be so formal with me."

"Okay, Wyatt." She stressed his name just barely. "What are we going to do about us?"

Wyatt glanced at her, blue eyes surprised. "I'm not going to insist that we go back to the way things were before this mess happened. That'd be ridiculous."

"Would you _like_ for things to go back to the way they were?" she asked, gazing intently at him. "After we help DG?"

He sighed, flipping the fish over one by one before he answered her question. "Glitch, _nothing_ can go back to the way it was. For all we know, Adair and Jeb are dead. Even if they aren't, it's been eight annuals since I last saw them and twelve since _you_ did."

"Why has it been longer for me?" Glitch frowned, that question expressing her own concern about why she hadn't been in the recording, either.

Wyatt said something under his breath that she didn't quite catch. "You were the Royal Advisor. The Queen needed you to stay by her side as Az gathered both power and followers. You didn't want to risk Az getting her hands on Jeb, so you had Adair and I take him away and raise him somewhere far from the Palace."

"Something tells me you didn't like that idea." She smiled wryly, what she knew of Wyatt indicating as much.

He gave a hollow laugh. "You could say that. I suggested sending Jeb to stay with my brothers at the family ranch, but you wanted Jeb to be raised by at least Adair and I. We couldn't refuse."

His voice hitched on the last word and she rested her hand on his arm, realizing that the tough, no-nonsense exterior he'd been showing to them hid a heart that was badly broken and battered. "If we can't go back to the way things were, we could at least try to start over."

"I don't know how well it'll work out, but yes, we could try at least." Wyatt glanced at her with a smile that didn't quite hide the pain of loss.

Glitch smiled and rested her head on his shoulder, forgetting that her hand was still on his arm. She just felt so comfortable around him.

* * *

Wyatt woke disoriented at first. Why was he lying down? Had the Suit fallen over? It took him a moment to realize that he was not surrounded by the unyielding metal of the suit. He was holding someone in his arms. Not just any someone, either, but Amber Rose--Glitch. The former Royal Advisor had her head tucked under Wyatt's chin. He opened his eyes and saw that DG was pressed back-to-back with Glitch, cuddled against Raw. The Viewer was awake, his eyes on the ex-Tin Man. "Okay?"

"Yeah." Wyatt kept his voice low, lifting his hand to stroke Glitch's tangled curls. "Just forgot where I was for a moment."

Raw nodded, his eyes sympathetic. "Get better with time."

"I sure hope so." He tilted his head up to look at the sky. It was growing lighter. Reluctantly, he shook the woman in his arms. "Glitch, time to wake up."

Her only response was to snuggle even closer to him, her arms tightening around his waist. He glanced over to see that DG had woken up and was watching them with an odd look on her face. Stifling a sigh, Wyatt shook Glitch's shoulders. "C'mon, Sweetheart, we have a lot of ground to cover today."

"Cain?" She blinked sleepily as she lifted her head to look at him.

His heart clenched at the single word, but he kept his voice gentle as he reminded her, "Wyatt, remember?"

"Oh, yeah." She smiled warmly, shifting up to kiss his cheek. "Wyatt."

He managed to smile back, even as he disentangled himself from her. "Up and at 'em, Glitch."

"Right." She sat up, yawning and stretching luxuriously. Then Glitch turned and noticed Raw and DG watching her. "Oh! Good morning! Do I know you?"

Raw sat up and reached across DG to touch Glitch's shoulder. "Yes."

"Hi, Raw, DG." She was turned away from Wyatt, but he could hear the sunny smile in her voice. "Good morning!"

DG smiled as she finally sat up, stretching as well. "Good morning, Glitch. Did you sleep well?"

"Oh, yes." Glitch nodded as Wyatt got to his feet and shrugged into his coat, which he and Glitch had used as a blanket, along with the tattered remains of the coat for her Royal Advisor uniform. "My head doesn't ache as much as it usually does in the mornings."

Almost on instinct, he reached out to take Glitch's hand and help her to her feet. "Why would your head ache at all?"

"Zipper is metal," Raw offered the explanation as he and DG got up, too.

DG understood before Wyatt did. "That's right. Metal contracts when it's cold."

"And, since it's holding my noggin together, it pulls on the skin, too." Glitch finished with far too bright a smile for the subject under discussion as Wyatt helped her into her coat.

He nodded curtly in reply, liberally stirring the remains of their fire with a stick to ensure it was out. Picking up the pack, Wyatt slung it on his shoulders. "Let's go. We don't want to linger too long."

"What about breakfast, Mr. Cain?" DG demanded, running to catch up as he set off.

He barely glanced at her, struggling to keep his emotions in check. "We'll forage for fruit along the way, Princess."

"What's with the attitude this morning?" she demanded as he heard Glitch and Raw fall in step with them.

Wyatt didn't answer for a long moment. "You wouldn't understand."

"Are you so sure about that?" Glitch spoke up from his other side. "None of us have really had an easy time of it, you know."

He sighed deeply, rubbing his eyes. "Look, my family, for all intents and purposes is gone. I have no one now, except myself."

"Not true," Raw objected from DG's other side. "Have us."

DG picked up on Raw's thought. "Yeah! We'll be your family, Mr. Cain."

"We _are_ your family," Glitch added, her hand slipping easily into Wyatt's. "My marbles may not be all present and accounted for, but I _know_ we'll make a good team."

He was silent for several spans and, thankfully, none of the others pushed him to respond. They only foraged for fruit as he'd suggested, munching as they walked. _I don't know if I can risk getting my heart broken again, but I don't **want** to abandon them. Not even to go after Zero..._

* * *

It was close to mid-afternoon by the time Zero reported, reluctantly, to the Tower. He met Vy-Sor outside the Sorceress' study. There was suppressed anger in his voice as he reported in a whisper, "My men combed Central City top to bottom and we didn't find anyone."

"I believe the Sorceress may have a direction for your search," Vy-Sor retorted, his eyes fixed on the Sorceress as she communicated with the mobat.

The young woman turned to them with a devious smile. "They are headed south. My Xora will show you where they camped last night." Her expression turned sly and cold. "I trust you and your men will be able to pick up their trail from there?"

"With all possible speed, Sorceress," he assured her with a salute.

She smirked. "Good."


	22. Clearing the Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continuing towards Finaqua.

Even after only two nights, Glitch knew she liked sleeping with Wyatt Cain. They just seemed to fit together so well. He didn't seem to like it as much. He was always grumpy after he woke up. At least, she assumed that's why he was so gruff and curt in the mornings. It was hard to be sure with one's marbles rattling around so much. _What a pretty bird. I wonder if I could have named it before I lost half my marbles..._

"Glitch!" She blinked and smiled at Wyatt, jogging to catch up to him. "Try not to fall behind. We'll be entering Papay territory soon and you know how dangerous they are."

She gave a little shudder as she remembered their last run-in with them. One had bitten Wyatt's leg before any of them had noticed they were coming. Thank goodness for Raw. He'd healed the wound once they'd crawled out of the river. "Yes, sorry. I was just looking at the bird up--oh, it's gone."

"Come on, let's get going." Wyatt took hold of her arm and firmly led her to where DG and Raw waited for them.

As they walked through the dead forest, Glitch's attention was caught by the sound of something screeching in the distance. "That can't be good."

"Hunter parties are out," the ex-Tin Man explained. "Stay sharp."

DG looked around, sadness in her eyes, and asked, "Did it always look so _dead_?"

Wyatt shook his head in response, blue eyes alert as they kept watch for Papays. "No, this used to be the most fertile land in the O.Z. Orchards, nurseries."

"Gotta love a good orchard!" Glitch chimed in, clapping her hands. "Full of succulent fruit for all the people to eat. Free, too, if you're a good fence-climber." She grinned. "Mind you, those scarecrows kinda freak me out."

DG glanced amongst them curiously. "So what happened?"

"About fifteen annuals ago, all the crops died," Wyatt answered that question as well. "Which then caused the Great Famine."

"I bet I can guess who's responsible," DG commented wryly.

Glitch barely heard Wyatt's response as she offered a thought of her own, "You'd think somebody woulda helped them with their crops. Maybe engineered a... doohickey with a couple of... thingies." Blinking, she noticed that she'd fallen behind yet again. They'd been talking about something, right? "Gotta love a good orchard!"

She hurried to catch up as Raw added his few words' worth. "Papay once peaceful."

"Yeah, except now the only 'peace' they want is a 'piece' of us!" Glitch reminded them, feeling unnerved by the silence and stillness around them.

"Were farmers, now hunters," Raw continued, almost as if he was ignoring Glitch's contribution.

DG, who'd been looking around, commented, "Well, no wonder they're desperate: they don't have any food."

"Shhh!" Wyatt held up a hand to stop them in their tracks. He must have heard the closer screech just like Glitch had, except he knew what that screech meant. "Runner scouts: they're signaling to the others."

It seemed like only seconds later when several Papay appeared between the trees. They tried to run, but more Papay blocked their escape. Wyatt tried to shoot, but his gun clicked. He must have forgotten to reload it. Slowly, the four of them backed into a tree. Her voice wavering a little, DG asked, "Now what?"

"How about using the gift your mother left with Father Vue, Princess?" Wyatt asked over his shoulder from where he stood in front of them.

She glanced at Glitch, panic in her eyes. "I don't know any magic!"

"Just concentrate," he responded over his shoulder. "That's what your tutor always said."

Glitch looked at DG when she didn't answer and saw that she had her eyes closed. Then she opened her eyes and backed even further away, right to the tree itself. "Why isn't it working?"

Inexplicably, when she looked back at the Papay, they were doing something that could only be described as bowing. She'd never known them to do that! "Why are they bowing?"

"Thanking us." Raw was the one who'd know. Viewers could always pick up on the emotions of the people and creatures around them, though touch focused their powers.

"For what?" DG asked, puzzled.

Strange sounds drew their attention up to see that the tree had suddenly burst into bloom. Even as they watched, bloom after bloom transformed into fruit. Grinning, Wyatt commented, "That is one heck of a defense, Princess."

"Good, DG," Raw added his praise.

Wyatt didn't let them linger, urging them to continue on, "Let's get out of here."

Once they'd put some distance between themselves and the Papay, DG asked, "How did you know to tell me that, Mr. Cain?"

"Tell you what?" It sounded like the ex-Tin Man was trying to avoid the question.

"How to use my gift," she replied, exasperation more than evident in her voice.

Wyatt stopped and turned to face her. "We were family in all ways except blood." There was naked pain in his eyes. "You and Az used to call me Uncle Wyatt." He waved at Glitch with one hand. "Glitch there was Auntie Rose from the moment you were born." He blinked, turning away from them, his shoulders tense. "I didn't _just_ lose a wife, husband, and son in this mess. I lost two dear friends in your parents and two nieces in you and Az."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Cain." DG hesitantly rested a hand on his broad shoulder.

Glitch saw his hands clench into fists. "Please don't call me that. I'd rather you called me Wyatt at least."

"I'll try." She squeezed his shoulder. "It just feels weird to call someone by their first name when I barely know them."

Glitch grinned as she offered an observation, "You call me Glitch."

"That's because you didn't give me a last name to call you." DG smiled back, her hand sliding from Wyatt's shoulder as she turned to face the former Royal Advisor.

She kept an eye on the set of Wyatt's shoulders as she answered the girl, "I don't have a last name, as far as I know."

"It could be Cain, if you took Wyatt's name," DG suggested, hesitating only briefly over his first name. "Or Adair's last name."

Wyatt shook his head as he turned to face them, only sadness remaining in his eyes. "No, she didn't take either name. She didn't want to favor one of us in any way."

"She could have taken both names." DG turned to address him directly. "On the Other Side, a lot of women simply tack their husband's name onto their own last name rather than lose their maiden name completely."

They stared at her for a long moment. "I'm not quite sure what you're talking about, but we should really keep moving." Wyatt squeezed DG's shoulder, probably to let her know he understood that she was trying to help. "In order to get to Finaqua, we have to cross the Crack in the O.Z. It was never easy at the best of times."

"So it'll be even more difficult in the worst of times?" DG asked as she fell into step with him.

He glanced at her with a smile twitching at his mouth. "Something like that, yeah."

Glitch smiled as she walked along beside Wyatt. Even as she walked with the others, she mulled over what her husband had revealed about himself and her. _I had no idea I was **that** close to the Royal Family! I wonder how it happened. I don't think Royal Advisors are normally **very** close to the Queen. Why am I different?_

* * *

He was grateful the Resistance sign and countersign hadn't changed during the annuals he'd spent in the Suit. Though, watching how wary and uncertain Ralph and Lorraine were, despite the exchange, Wyatt had to wonder if it _should_ have been changed in all that time. It was obvious the Longcoats had their spies among the Resistance, just as the Resistance had spies of their own among the Longcoats. The only news they seemed to know of was about Azkadellia pushing the miners and metalworkers until they dropped. Wyatt turned from peering out the window to ask a question, "What mine?"

"Some mine in the Black Mountains," Ralph answered with a shrug.

There must have been something in the words that triggered Glitch's brain, because she spoke up for the first time since they sat down to eat, "Moratanium. Uh, big M, little T, number 216 on the Ozian periodic table. Haha, school days." She smiled nostalgically. "I remember a lovely lass named Leona--"

"Moratanium," DG interrupted, distracting Glitch from her recollections, much to Wyatt's relief. Amber Rose had hinted that her experiences with romance, what few there had been, hadn't been limited to men. "What's it for?"

After a long silence, Glitch answered the question, her eyes serious as they met DG's. "Besides its strength, moratanium was valued for its ability to conduct magical energy."

The tense silence that followed was interrupted by the sound of barking. All eyes went to the door where the children had emerged from hiding. A small dog stood there, ears pricked up. It took a moment, but Wyatt recognized him, "Toto!"

"Who?" DG asked, puzzled.

At that moment, the dog shape-shifted into a tall, dark-skinned man in a ragged suit of clothes that hung loose on his large frame. Though his hair was gray now and his face lined, Wyatt knew him. He smiled as he crossed to shake the man's hand. "Wyatt Cain. I heard you were dead."

"I heard you were captured," Wyatt responded, his smile fading as the seriousness of the occasion took hold.

The Princesses' tutor, named Makanu, sighed, looking much older as his own smile disappeared, "I was, but I managed to escape. I've spent most of the annuals since then as Toto, dodging the Longcoats and keeping watch for faces I recognized." He pointed a long finger at Wyatt. "You're the first I've seen."

"Tutor!" DG's exclamation drew both of their attention to her. Blue eyes fixed on Makanu, she rose from the table. "You used to teach Az and I how to control our magic."

He nodded, white teeth flashing in another grin. "That's right. I'm flattered you remember me. It's been a long time."

"For all of us," Wyatt agreed, glancing at Glitch. He was disappointed to realize that her intent gaze at the tutor only conveyed curiosity and no recognition.

Lorraine interrupted them just then, staring at Makanu. "You never hinted that you were more than a dog!"

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but I thought it best not to shift until tonight." Dark eyes apologetic, Makanu bowed to her.

Ralph rested a hand on her arm. "Dearest, relax. If he'd been an enemy, he could have betrayed us many times since we let the children take him in."

"He's right, Ma'am." Maknu nodded to Ralph with a faint smile. "I have no intention of betraying anyone to the Sorceress."

Wyatt addressed the other man. "Did you get any hint of Azkadellia's plans while you were held as her prisoner?"

"Just that the machine she's building needs to be finished in time for the eclipse," Makanu sat down at the table, offering a grateful smile when Ralph put a plate of leftover food together and placed it in front of the big man. "Part of the reason she's torn up the O.Z. like she has is to find a jewel or trinket of some kind that is absolutely vital to the success of her machine."

He paced thoughtfully, rubbing his chin. "So, it's a weapon?"

"No, it's a Sun Seeder!" Glitch exclaimed, drawing the tutor's attention to her for the first time. Wyatt had the dubious pleasure of seeing Makanu do a double-take when he looked more closely at the former Royal Advisor.

DG pre-empted whatever the black man had been about to say as the princess gripped her adopted aunt's shoulder and asked, "What's a Sun Seeder?"

Glitch thought hard for several moments before shaking her head, "I don't know, but it sounds cool." She laughed weakly, but it faded as what was left of her brain caught up. "Oh, wait. I invented it."

"What's it used for?" DG demanded, leaning forward to gaze intently at Glitch.

"I can't remember," Glitch shook her head, refusing to meet DG's eyes. "I can't remember."

DG stood up from her seat, gazing down at Glitch. "I'm sorry, but we don't have time for this, we have to know." She looked at the Viewer. "Raw?"

"What about Wyatt?" Makanu suggested, indicating the ex-Tin Man with his fork. "He might know something about it."

He reluctantly shook his head, aware of the worry that was growing in Glitch's eyes. "She may have invented the Sun Seeder after she sent Jeb away with Adair and me."

"This is the only way." DG turned back to Glitch. "I'm sorry, Glitch."

Raw stood up, taking Glitch's arm to lead her to the chair near the mirror over the fireplace. "Need mirror to show memories."

The glimpses of Glitch as she tried to survive in a world where nothing was familiar from one day to the next and every person she met treated her like a criminal were painful for Wyatt to watch. They were a reminder to him that he had failed her as a husband and a Tin Man. Then his breath caught in his throat. It was Amber Rose! She wore her uniform--neat, clean, and intact--and her hair was neatly brushed and pulled back. 

His heart ached as he watched Amber Rose report to Violetta, as he remembered her doing so many times in the past. The only mention of the Sun Seeder was the Royal Advisor's report that she had destroyed all of the plans for it. When she mentioned General Lonot's defection, Wyatt realized that the completion of Azkadellia's coup couldn't be far off from the memory. News of the general's betrayal had been closely followed by news of the Sorceress' triumph.

He knew he would never forget the image of Amber Rose strapped to an operating table, begging her brightest and most promising student not to remove her brain. Only after the mirror went dark did Wyatt realize he was clenching his hands so tightly into fists that his arms were trembling from the strain. As he consciously relaxed them, Glitch asked, "Is my machine really that bad?"

"No, but whatever it is, you gave up a lot for it," Wyatt replied, serious and somber as he gazed at her. He'd always respected her, even before they became friends, but what he'd just seen had taken his respect for her to an entirely different level.

"That's why she had to go straight to the source," DG added, tears in her voice as she leaned over to hug the former advisor.

"Oh, well, it's probably not the biggest sacrifice made for science." Glitch tried to dismiss it, Wyatt wasn't fooled. He saw the tears she blinked back as she patted DG's arms.

He reached down to help her to her feet as DG moved away. "It's probably right up there, though." He carefully embraced her, relieved when she leaned into him. For her ears alone, he whispered, "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you."

"Unless I glitched again, _you_ said you and Adair left at _my_ insistence," she reminded him, pulling back to meet his eyes. "So don't apologize, Tin Man."

He laughed weakly and let his arms drop as Ralph commented, "It's full dark and the moons have yet to rise."

"We should go, then." Glitch turned to the others with a sunny smile.

DG looked at Makanu then. "Will you come with us?"

"If none of the others object." The former tutor glanced at each of them in turn. He smiled when his eyes returned to DG. "Yes, I'll come."

She smiled and hugged him, an embrace he reciprocated happily. "Thank you."

"Come." Ralph gestured for them to exit the cabin ahead of him.

Wyatt let the others go ahead of him, wanting to keep an eye on each of them. As the others filed out, his gaze landed on the table in front of him. Specifically, he noticed the toy horse by the little boy's place. Picking it up, he asked, "Where did you get this?"

"A Resistance fighter made it for our son," Ralph explained as Wyatt reached into his vest pocket to retrieve Jeb's toy horse. "He came through months ago with his father. Their names were--"

Wyatt held the two toys side-by-side, his heart pounding in his chest when he realized they were virtually identical. "--Jeb and Adair."

"Yes." Ralph nodded, looking surprised. "Do you know them?"

He nodded, inwardly jumping for joy while remaining outwardly calm. "They're my family."


	23. Dead End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A slight detour that accomplishes nothing, apparently.

Glitch found herself walking alongside DG as Ralph led them to where they'd be crossing the Crack in the O.Z. "You're a lot like her, you know? She wasn't always all ermine robes and 'thees' and 'thous'. She started off just like you: feisty, but fair."

"My mother's done so much for me and I don't even know her name," DG replied, sounding sad more than anything else.

She waved a long-fingered hand dismissively. "Oh, that's easy! Her name was Queen--" As she reached for the name, her mind came up completely blank.

Glitch stopped walking, her face contorting as she tried in vain to remember the Queen's name. Grimacing, she turned to DG and shrugged sheepishly. The hopeful look on the girl's face was replaced by a sympathetic smile as she patted the former Royal Advisor's shoulder. "It's okay."

"She was happy to make the sacrifices she thought were right." A vague image of Raw talking to DG, the latter with tears shining in her eyes, flashed across Glitch's mind as she spoke. "We should all love someone that much."

"It sounds like you loved Wyatt, Adair, and Jeb that much," DG commented as they continued on their way.

Smiling faintly, Glitch nodded. "Yes, I just wish I could _remember_ them."

"You will, if I have anything to say about it," DG assured her, blue eyes glinting with determination.

She smiled, glad for the girl's support. In what seemed like next to no time, they reached the line they were going to use to cross. It took little time for the six of them to uncover it. As she worked, Glitch heard Ralph tell Wyatt, "Your family crossed this same line, friend. Said they were headed to an old cabin about three spans on the other side. Tucked behind a giant white elm, the only one there."

"Thank you." There was suppressed excitement in Wyatt's voice as he shook Ralph's hand.

The balding man shook his head. "We should thank _you_."

"Wyatt?" Glitch paused by the ex-Tin Man's side, wondering what that was about.

He turned to her with a reassuring smile. "I'll explain later. Go on."

"You'd better," she muttered under her breath as she turned to climb onto the platform. Faced with the reality of making the crossing, Glitch was only vaguely aware that Makanu had shifted to become Toto. She glanced down at DG, ignoring Raw behind her. "Did I ever tell you I was afraid of heights?"

DG frowned, glancing across the gorge, and then back at Glitch. "You were hanging from the ceiling when I met you."

"Involuntarily!" Her reply ended on a shout because Raw pushed her off the platform. Her feet flailed uselessly for ground as she swept across, the roaring river hundreds of spans below them. _Would I drown if I fell, or would the impact kill me first? Or maybe I'd just be knocked unconscious. Or--_ Her musings were cut short when she hit the anchoring tree face-first. "Ow!"

Glitch tumbled to her back and barely managed to get to her feet before Raw was landing beside her. They caught DG, and then Wyatt landed beside them. Toto jumped down from Wyatt's arms and changed back to Makanu while the ex-Tin Man glanced at each of them, concerned. "Are all of you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." DG sounded breathless.

Raw simply nodded when Wyatt looked at him. Glitch smiled reassuringly. "Nothing permanent. I was too busy thinking."

"You're sure?" Wyatt frowned, stepping closer to take her arm.

She nodded, covering his hand with hers and urging him forward. "Come on, we can't linger here. The Longcoats are still down there."

"Right." Still holding her arm, Wyatt started off with the others falling in step behind them.

After a few moments, Glitch asked, "What did Ralph tell you about your family?"

"Back in the cabin, he told me Jeb and Adair are still alive," Wyatt explained, joy shining briefly in his eyes.

She nodded, suddenly understanding. "And he was giving you directions for finding them."

"Exactly." He nodded in reply. "Maybe seeing them will help you remember."

Glitch grinned, touched and pleased that Wyatt had heard her discussion with DG earlier. Quietly, she asked, "If you get a chance, could you tell DG what her mother's name is?"

"I will." He squeezed her arm gently, reassuringly.

She squeezed his hand in return; content to walk alongside him in silence for once.

* * *

Wyatt was grateful that Glitch was silent for once. He still loved her, but she'd never been much of a chatterbox before. _Except when she was nervous. I guess that's what happens when you have half your brain removed..._ As they walked, he heard DG and Raw telling Makanu about everything that had happened since the former had arrived in the O.Z. "Father Vue said this was a gift from my mother, but I'm not sure what it's for, exactly."

"It's a focus for your gift," Makanu explained after a moment. Wyatt figured the tutor had been examining the mark on DG's palm. "Have you done anything extraordinary with it?"

Raw answered for DG. "Made Papay tree bloom."

"Now that I think about it, my hand was tingling and I pressed it back against the tree." DG sounded thoughtful as she explained. "Maybe it was my gift working."

Makanu gave a chuckle. "Good. How did you come to use your gift, though? With Wyatt around, I'd have thought he would shoot the Papays."

"There were too many," Wyatt explained over his shoulder, preferring not to mention that he'd forgotten to reload his gun. "I just told her what you used to tell her and Az all the time."

At his side, Glitch stifled a giggle. Wyatt smiled, and then came to a dead stop. Glitch took a few more steps then turned to face him. "What's wrong?"

"There." He stared at the white elm that gleamed in the early morning light. "That's it. That's where our family made their new home."

Without another word, he started running towards the tree, eager to see Adair and Jeb again. He was vaguely aware of Glitch keeping pace with him, but Wyatt's focus was on reaching the tree, and then ducking through the younger trees that screened the cottage from view. "Adair! Jeb!"

"Adair!" Glitch echoed as she pushed through the young trees behind him. "Jeb!"

He crashed through the last of the trees and into a clearing, his eyes caught by the Iron Suit in front of the cottage. His heart in his throat, Wyatt slowly approached the Suit, wondering if he'd see Jeb or Adair peering back at him if he were to look in. Glitch was the one who reached out to open the Suit, revealing that it was empty. He closed his eyes as disappointment clenched his heart. "Jeb..."

"Wyatt." Glitch patted his shoulder and directed his attention to a small, wooden marker standing at one end of a mound of earth.

Instinctively taking her hand in his, he walked over to read the name carved onto the simple grave marker: _Adair Walker_. He dropped to his knees by the grave, the sudden swoop from hope to despair too much for him. "No..."

"I'm sorry." Glitch knelt beside him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

He covered her hands with his as he reached into his pocket and reverently drew out the Tin Man badge. Blinking back tears, he laid it down beside Adair's grave. _Take care wherever you are, Darling..._

After a long moment, he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the marker, a last farewell to his husband. He straightened up and watched as Glitch tilted her head thoughtfully. Giving a small nod, she leaned forward and did the same. He heard her whisper, "I wish I remembered you."

"You will, Sweetheart." He reached down and took her hands to help her to her feet. They turned to rejoin the others, seeing sympathy and sadness on all of their faces. "Let's go to Finaqua. There's nothing left for us here."

"We should rest soon," Makanu suggested gently. "You four look ready to fall asleep where you're standing."

Wyatt nodded, starting back the way they'd come. "We will, but we're not resting here."

"Too painful for some," Raw added as Glitch moved to join the ex-Tin Man.

Silence fell as the little party exited the small grove and started for Finaqua.

* * *

Glitch stayed near Wyatt as they continued on their journey. When they stopped at a stream to rest their feet and drink some water, Raw approached, resting a hand on each of their shoulders. "Jeb still lives."

"No." Wyatt didn't even lift his head, staring intently at the ground.

She turned to look at Raw, recognizing that the Viewer's gift was at work. "He lives to honor you." He glanced at Glitch. "Both of you." After a long pause, he added, "I feel it."

"You feel too much." Wyatt straightened up and walked off into the trees.

Giving the Viewer an apologetic look, Glitch followed her husband. She found him leaning heavily against a tree trunk, shoulders heaving as he fought back sobs. "He was just trying to help."

"I don't need more false hope," Wyatt retorted between ragged gasps. "It hurts too much when it's snatched away."

She reached out and rested her hand on a heaving shoulder. "Viewers don't give false hope. You know that better than me."

"I don't have time to hope right now anyway." He finally got his sobs under control. "I said I would help DG and that's what I'll do."

Glitch stopped him when he turned to rejoin the others, pressing her hand over his heart. "At least promise me you'll look for Jeb once this is over."

"I will. Even if only to learn where he's buried." Wyatt met her eyes for a long moment before leaning down to kiss her, soft and swift.

She remained where she was, fingers touching her lips, even after he'd returned to the stream and called for the others to get ready to go. A touch from Raw startled her, "Glitch?"

"Sorry, Raw. Just glitched again, I guess." She grinned and set off with him after the others.


	24. Overgrown Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They make it to Finaqua and go on to the Realm of the Unwanted.

When they reached a fork in the road, Wyatt finally faltered. Neither road looked familiar to him. He turned to the others, smiling sheepishly. "I'm not sure which way is correct. It's been a long time and this was one of the first places Az scorched when she assumed power."

"Maybe DG remember?" Raw suggested, looking at the girl.

DG looked doubtful. "This all seems familiar, but I don't know."

"Dig deep into your memories," Makanu advised, resting his hand on her shoulder. "Concentrate on your childhood."

Wyatt watched as DG closed her eyes and focused inward. He jumped when he felt something brush his hand. Looking down, he saw that Glitch was trying to insinuate her hand into his. Smiling, he took hold of her hand and squeezed gently. She reciprocated it and he returned his attention to DG just as the girl started down one path. Glitch started to follow her, but Wyatt kept hold of her hand, watching as DG shook her head and started down the other path. The others followed and Glitch whispered, "How'd you know the first one was wrong?"

"Actually, I _knew_ Finaqua was this way, but I wanted DG to lead," Wyatt explained in a low voice. "This is where Az changed and DG was the only one who saw how it happened."

Glitch was quiet for several moments as she considered the implications of her husband's statement. "You're hoping having her lead will help her remember what happened?"

"Yeah. I think it's something we all need to know." He nodded. _She may not remember some things, but her ability to reason and deduce is still good..._

Moments later, DG broke into a run, almost tumbling down a slope to the entrance of the maze that took up a good portion of the grounds of the Royal Finaquan Residence. Wyatt hurried after her, only able to keep up because he remembered the maze from his own visits. Glitch followed close on his heels with Makanu right behind her and Raw at the tail-end. When they emerged, they found the grounds greatly changed. The lake and manor house were completely gone, replaced by a forest of towering trees. All that remained of the home Wyatt remembered was the swing that used to hang in the lakeside gazebo. Now it hung from one of the trees and that's where DG sat. As they approached, she commented, "This used to be paradise."

"Not paradise now," Raw observed sadly.

Wyatt was sad to agree. He had fond memories of staying at Finaqua and now, to find it like this was almost as painful as discovering that Adair was dead. Her voice sad, Glitch added, "She sure didn't leave much behind, did she?"

"No, she didn't." Wyatt's voice was little more than a whisper.

A moment later, DG stopped the swing and stood up, continuing down the path. The other four followed her at a distance. Eventually, they reached a cave with strange markings carved above it. Wyatt was the first to duck inside after DG, followed by the others. They found her deep inside the cave, sobbing. She turned to them, gasping for breath, "I'm sorry, Az. All the terrible things that have happened; they're all my fault! I should never have let go."

"Let go?" Glitch asked the question, kneeling beside DG. "What are you talking about?"

Speaking between sobs, DG recounted what had happened that day so many annuals ago: "I thought I heard a little girl crying in the forest and I wanted to investigate. Az tried to stop me, but I insisted. We ended up here and found a little girl. When we turned to leave, she turned into an old witch. Az told me to hold her hand, but the witch scared me and I ran. When I turned around, she'd gotten hold of Az and these monkey-bat things were diving into her. Then the witch dissolved and disappeared into Az. That's when I ran to Mother."

"Oh, DG." Glitch gently drew the girl into her arms, hugging her comfortingly. DG resisted at first, but soon clutched at the former Royal Advisor as her sobs resumed full force.

Wyatt bowed his head, clenching his hands into fists. "They'd never have wandered off alone if we'd come to Finaqua, too."

"What do you mean?" Manaku asked the question, but Wyatt knew the others were listening, too.

He looked at the former tutor as he explained, pitching his voice loud enough for it to carry to the others. "After Adair, Glitch, and I became a triad, we would all travel to Finaqua with the Royal Family during the summer. That annual, though, Jeb was very sick and we chose to stay at our cottage on the Palace grounds to avoid risking his health."

"Why would our presence have made a difference?" Glitch frowned as she asked the question, unconsciously stroking DG's back.

He walked over to crouch beside the two, his eyes flicking from one to the other. "If we'd been here that annual, Az and DG wouldn't have been able to wander this far without an adult or two."

"Who is or isn't to blame is not the issue right now," Makanu interrupted. "What do we do now?"

Wyatt helped DG and Glitch to their feet. "I think there's supposed to be a message for DG somewhere nearby."

"Whatever it was would have been destroyed when Az razed this place," Glitch commented as they all filed out of the cave.

Makanu patted the former Royal Advisor's shoulder. "Knowing the Queen, if she left a message, it would have been done with the magic she had left to herself." He addressed his next words to DG. "Concentrate, DG. Let the Light move _through_ you."

"But--" Glitch started to speak, but Wyatt clapped a hand over her mouth. "Quiet."

DG wandered amongst the trees for a moment, and then crouched down to dig through a pile of rocks. When she found whatever she was looking for, she walked to a spot and kissed the rock. "I hope this is the perfect day."

She threw it as if she was going to skip it across water. Instead of striking ground like Wyatt had expected, it skipped across it, like water. That seemed to trigger something, because the forest around them sunk into the ground and the Finaqua of old reappeared. An image of the Queen appeared in the gazebo and began to speak as they approached, "DG, if you're seeing this message, then you've overcome much on your journey to find the Emerald. The Emerald of the Eclipse contains the power to bring either Light or Darkness to the O.Z. As you now know, the evil witch of the Dark lives inside your sister. That is why she knows not of my plan and why I could only entrust the Emerald's power to you, my angel. Make haste now, south, to the Realm of the Unwanted. There, you must find a man named Ahamo. He will help you on the final leg of your journey to save the O.Z., to the Gray Gale, to the Emerald."

"Wait!" DG reached out her hand to the image. "Who's Ahamo?" She turned to the others when the gazebo remained quiet and still.

"Ahamo is your father," Makanu explained in reply to her unanswered question.

She frowned, walking towards them. "He's alive?"

"Apparently, if we have to find him," Wyatt answered wryly, inwardly relieved. He hadn't believed the rumors about Ahamo's abandonment when they'd begun circulating. The man had loved his wife and daughters dearly. "Come on, let's get going."

DG fell into step with him. "What's the Realm of the Unwanted?"

"You might call it the dark underbelly of the O.Z." Wyatt told her. "Full of criminals and other outlaws, it's where they go to escape justice."

Disbelief was rife in her voice. "And that's where my dad is?"

"Where else would you go when you don't want to be found?" Glitch asked. "The same place as all the other people like you."

* * *

Glitch stayed close to Wyatt as they made their way through the Realm of the Unwanted. Even with half her marbles missing, she knew it wouldn't be a good idea to get separated from anyone. They all stayed close together, even while they asked Airofday how they could find Ahamo and arranged to meet the Seeker. "I don't know about you, Wyatt, but I have no money."

"Don't worry about it," he murmured as they worked their way to the tavern in question. "Something tells me that'll be the least of our worries."

Makanu shifted nervously beside them. "I'd feel better if I shifted form. This place doesn't sit well with me."

"Long time since human," Raw offered his own observation, resting a hand on the former tutor's shoulder.

Wyatt nodded. "I understand. Go ahead."

"Thank you." Nodding, Makanu stepped back slightly and changed his form.

The four of them, plus Toto, continued on to the tavern. Wyatt paused inside the door. "I don't like the looks of this place. Why don't you guys wait outside and I'll cut the deal myself?"

"No, I think we should stick together," DG objected before Glitch could. "I feel very safe with you guys."

Glitch nodded when Wyatt glanced at her. He stifled a sigh and gestured Toto to a spot under a chair. As they continued to look around, Airofday appeared from behind a barrier. "There's nothing to be afraid of."

Her words must have been a signal, because the other patrons got up and moved away from where they were standing. Beside her, Glitch felt Wyatt push back his coat to rest his hand on his gun. DG addressed Airofday, "Where can we find the Seeker?"

"I'm here." A man not too much older than Wyatt and Glitch appeared from around a barrier on their other side. His clothes were dark and worn, his hands clasped behind his back.

"We were told that you know where to find Ahamo," DG told him, her tone indicating that she wasn't entirely sure she believed it.

Glitch didn't like the way the Seeker gazed only at DG. He hadn't even _glanced_ at the rest of them! "Show me your palm?"

"What for?" Wyatt demanded, moving forward to protect her.

She held up her hand to stop him, speaking with a confidence Glitch wasn't sure she actually felt. "It's okay."

DG moved closer to the Seeker and held up her right hand. After a moment, he told her, "The other one."

Glitch exchanged surprised glances with Wyatt and Raw. _How did he know?_ As requested, DG held up her left hand. He stared at her hand for a moment and started to smile, as if seeing the symbol confirmed something. At that moment, Airofday shouted, "Now!"

As the patrons who'd left returned, this time armed, the Seeker shouted, "We had a deal!"

Someone did something that made the lights flash and Glitch vaguely heard DG screaming and shouting. Unfortunately, she was too busy fighting off the men who were attacking her to do anything to help her young friend. Then they were trapped under the netting from the ceiling and the fight was over. They were caught and DG was gone, as was the Seeker. Presumably, he'd taken her away in the middle of the confusion. The Longcoats who gathered them up were led by the one Wyatt had called Zero. Something in the captain's eyes as he stared at her sent chills down her spine. "Bring them all. The Sorceress could use the others for entertainment at least."

"What? No!" The men who'd been fighting them protested, but the Longcoats brandished their weapons and forced them over towards a log waiting outside the tavern.

One by one, they were shackled to it. The last to be shackled, Glitch flinched at each blow of the hammer. "Ow! Yeah, that's right, abuse the one with the zipperhead!"

The Longcoat simply stared at her for a long moment, and then looked over her shoulder at Wyatt. Still gazing at him, the Longcoat placed Wyatt's hat on his own head. As the dark-skinned man walked away, Wyatt told her, "Calm down, Glitch."

"Calm down?" She tried to look at Wyatt, but the way she was shackled prevented her from doing so. "We've been captured and we lost DG to the Seeker!"

"He may call himself the Seeker right now," Wyatt replied, lowering his voice even further. "But I know for a fact that he _is_ Ahamo."

"He's DG's father?" Glitch really wished she could turn and look at Wyatt.

"Yeah. He's changed, like we all have, but he's Ahamo all right." The ex-Tin Man sounded confident and assured.

"Look!" Raw's exclamation distracted Glitch before she could start thinking again. "Toto!"

Glitch looked over and saw the dog nearby. "Toto! Come on! Show these Longcoats what you're really made of!"

Her heart sank when the dog turned and ran off. She sighed and slumped onto the log. Wryly, Wyatt commented, "He just did."

"I believe you owe me something?" Airofday's exotic accent brought Glitch's head up and she watched as the other woman talked with Zero.

From their conversation, it was obvious that she'd set them up for capture. Whatever price she'd been expecting, it wasn't the one that Zero gave her. As his men dragged her away, one of his lieutenants approached and told him something. The captain nodded and pulled Wyatt's gun out of his belt, pointing it at Wyatt. Glitch was certain she'd hear a gunshot any moment and flinched in expectation of hearing it. Instead, Zero spoke, his tone light-hearted and cruel, "At least I'll have a souvenir to remember you by."

"Why don't you unshackle me?" Wyatt replied, his voice bored and unintimidated. "I'll teach you how to use it."

Zero's chuckle was cold and cruel and Glitch couldn't help shivering at the sound. "You surprise me, Cain. Not a lot of men make it out of the Iron Suit with their sense of humor intact. Let's see how funny you are when you're hanging from the gallows in Central City Square."

With that, they set off out of the Realm of the Unwanted. They didn't say much as they walked. All of them knew that they were marching to their deaths. Glitch could only hope that DG was having better luck continuing her journey with Ahamo. She found it hard to picture the man she'd seen so briefly in the tavern as the King Consort. Of course, she also found it difficult to picture herself as the Royal Advisor, so she really should know better. Wyatt murmured as they walked along. "Look up ahead."

"What?" She did as her husband suggested and frowned. It was just a bunch of people trying to move a cart off the road.

"Get this out of our way," Zero commanded them imperiously.

One of the people, swathed in a cloak, turned and called out. "I'm sorry."

"Now!" Zero shouted the word, obviously annoyed.

The cloaked man approached with a bucket of water. "Would you and your troops like a drink of water?"

Zero kicked the bucket and lots more people suddenly erupted from the trees and bushes, ambushing the Longcoats. There were deaths and injuries on both sides, but the people won in the end. As the others tied up the captured Longcoats, the young man in the cloak approached them and slowly pushed back the hood of his cloak, staring at Wyatt. "Father?"

"Son." Wyatt sounded just as surprised as the young man.

"Mother?" The boy turned to Glitch, then, surprise and sadness warring in his eyes.

She stared at him for a long moment, taking in his wavy light brown hair, brown eyes, and weather-browned face. Offering a smile, she waved as well as she could with her wrists still shackled to the log. "Hello, Jeb."


	25. More Road to Travel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to take out the Sorceress!

Once they were freed from the log, Wyatt, Glitch, and Raw offered to help the Resistance however they could. Upon reaching the camp, the Viewer made his way over to the improvised hospital tent to offer his services. The ex-Tin Man glanced at his son; his heart breaking a little at how much Jeb had changed in the annuals since he was a little boy. Jeb had not only grown up, he'd also grown hardened and angry. "Thanks for the help back there."

"We didn't do it to free you," Jeb retorted, hardly glancing at his father. "We did it to capture Zero. Given his position in the Sorceress' power structure, he'll know more than the average Longcoat about her plans."

He nodded, tugging absently at his hat. "I thought you were dead."

"Dad and I were told that you died while you were in the Suit," Jeb replied. "And that Mother was as good as dead after the Sorceress got through with her."

Glitch chimed in from behind them. "I'm still here, though. Probably not the woman you remember, though."

"No, but she's in there." Jeb turned his head enough to smile at her.

One of the Resistance members stepped up to speak to Jeb. "Sir, they're waiting for you in the tent. Everything's prepared."

"Good, I'll be right there." Jeb nodded and the other man left.

As his son turned back to him, Wyatt asked, "You're running things now?"

"It's just how it worked out," the younger Cain explained with a shrug. "After I lost Dad, I didn't have much else to live for. Helping in the Resistance seemed like the best plan."

Wyatt closed his eyes briefly at the reminder that his husband was gone. Opening his eyes, he met his son's. "Mind if we join the interrogation? We have some questions for Zero, too."

"Why not?" Jeb led them to the tent where Zero was being held.

Raw was already there, obviously intending to use his powers to probe Zero's mind. Once they were ready, the Viewer pressed his hand to the Longcoat's neck, searching. After a long silence, Raw shook his head. "Azkadellia shielded his thoughts. Raw cannot see."

"All right, we do this the old-fashioned way." Jeb looked at some men standing behind Zero. "Bring it in."

Wyatt had to admire the ingenuity of it all. Though all the men brought in was a table full of harmless metal gadgets, since it was behind Zero, he couldn't see them. All he knew was that Jeb was making noise behind him. At first, the Longcoat tried to laugh it off, pretending he wasn't worried. As the sounds continued and Jeb had his assistant go so far as to pull Zero's fingers out, ready for Jeb to mutilate or chop, the bravado broke down. "I'll talk! I'll tell you whatever you want to know!"

"It's too late now," Jeb retorted, smirking as he started to continue with what he was doing.

Wyatt stopped his son. "Son, that's enough. Let him talk." He addressed Zero. "Talk!"

"The machine forms an intense beam of light." Zero directed his initial answer to Wyatt.

Glitch asked the question that they were all thinking of: "Why?"

"It focuses the power of the Emerald on the double eclipse." Zero was looking at her now and Wyatt didn't like the lustful expression in his eyes. "Locks the two suns behind the moon. It'll bring darkness to the O.Z. forever."

It was Glitch who broke the silence. "That machine's the Anti-Sun Seeder."

"Sun Seeder?" Jeb looked his mother curiously.

She nodded, grinning. "Yeah, a little doohickey I designed to slow the suns and extend the growing season."

"How do we shut it down?" Jeb moved so he could address Zero directly.

The Longcoat nodded towards Glitch. "Ask her."

"Well, it sounds like what she's using it for is an entirely different barrel of monkey-bats," Glitch objected, smiling nervously as she looked around at the others in the tent. "I don't know how her machine works."

Zero smirked at her. "But you do, Amber Rose. Unless you've forgotten that along with all the fun times we've had together?"

"Son of a bitch!" Jeb punched Zero at the insult to his mother.

Wyatt caught his arm before he could do more. "He's only saying that get a reaction."

" _Am_ I?" Zero asked, a smirk curling his lips.

Wyatt turned a cold glare on the Longcoat in response. "She'd have kicked your ass before she'd let you near her."

"Not if she didn't remember me," Zero taunted, the smirk still in place.

Glitch slowly moved forward out of the shadows. Her expression was unreadable for once: brown eyes shuttered and blank as she stared at the Longcoat. "Even though I don't remember you, I'd still kick your ass if I were given a chance."

"Bitch," Zero spat.

"Ass," she retorted, looking, just for a moment, like the woman Wyatt had fallen in love with.

Zero must have noticed, too, because he seemed to hunch in on himself. Jeb broke the silence, a look of dawning horror and realization on his face "Amber Rose?"

"Jeb?" Wyatt turned to his son.

The boy glanced from one parent to the other as he explained, "Our spies have discovered that Amber Rose is the code name for the brain that runs the machine."

"My marbles are in the tower?" Glitch looked both amazed and appalled.

Wyatt directed his question to Zero. "Where are they?"

"Brain room, brain room! Sublevel three." Zero answered laughably quickly. "Look, I told you everything I know, so just put that thing away, okay? Put it away."

Jeb grinned maliciously as he held up a pair of spoons. "Glad to." As Zero slumped, realizing how badly he'd been fooled, Jeb stalked over to a table in the corner of the tent. "Right, time to end this once and for all."

"What do you mean?" Wyatt watched his son draw the sword from its sheath. "No, we're better than that."

Jeb glared at his father, attempting to move past him. "He put you in an Iron Suit for eight annuals. Dad's gone because of him. He _helped_ the Sorceress take over."

"If you kill him, you'll be sinking to his level," Wyatt told his son, his broader build making it difficult for Jeb, who'd inherited his mother's more slender build, to get past him. "I _know_ you're better than him."

Jeb's brown eyes flashed with anger, his jaw tightening. "He deserves it, after all he's done!"

"That's not in question, Son." Wyatt's heart ached at the thought that he'd missed so much of Jeb's life. "But we're not executioners."

Glaring, Jeb stabbed the sword into the ground. "I'm no one's son."

Wyatt closed his eyes, listening as Jeb stormed out of the tent. _I knew this would be difficult, but I didn't expect him to **hate** me!_

* * *

Whenever she looked back on the day of the double eclipse, what stood out most to Glitch wasn't going to get DG from the Gray Gale with Wyatt, Raw, and Makanu. Neither was it going to the Tower to join Jeb's Resistance forces nor sneaking into the Tower while the Resistance created a diversion. No, what stuck with Glitch the most about that day was what happened when Raw connected her to the rest of her brain.

All the memories and knowledge that she'd lost flooded into her mind. The overload of information swamped her and she froze, unable to speak or move. After a few moments, the flood of information transformed to a trickle, one she could handle. That's when she became aware of Wyatt speaking to her, "Glitch, can you hear me?"

"My name is not Glitch," the answer seemed to just flow naturally from her.

"Okay, _Amber Rose_." He made a point of emphasizing her name. "Can you tell me how to turn off the machine?"

They worked together after that, Raw helping her to remember the numbers and Wyatt entering them on the keyboard. Before she could tell him the last set of numbers, the connection was torn away and a burly Longcoat guard had her pinned in place so she couldn't move. She could see Raw crumpled in a corner, unconscious. Glitch heard a shot ring out behind her and saw Wyatt crumple to the floor, bleeding from his right shoulder.

A young Viewer, not much older than Jeb had been when Wyatt was put in the Suit, was dragged over to where Raw had been standing. The alchemist brandished his painstick. "Kalm, tell me what they did and how to fix it." When he hesitated, the alchemist shocked him. "Now!"

Hesitantly, the child reached up to connect Glitch and her brain. It was not the same as when Raw had connected her. Then, it had been like immersing her in a river of memories. Now it was like she was simply wading through them. Kalm spoke, telling the alchemist which numbers to press, undoing everything she and Wyatt had done. Glitch tried to stop them, yelling out random numbers to drown out Kalm's timid voice, but the Longcoat covered her mouth with his hand, stifling her. She could only stand, helpless, as the machine started up once again.

The tableau held until the Longcoat holding her suddenly loosened his grip. She didn't hesitate; she turned and knocked him out. When the other Longcoat came towards her, Glitch knocked _him_ out, too. Next, she turned on the alchemist, but he had his painstick ready and all she knew was intense pain, and then blackness. She had no idea how long she was unconscious before she was slapped awake. She smiled groggily at the man leaning over her, "Oh, hello." That's when she realized her cheek must be hurting because he'd slapped her. "Do I know you?"

"Good morning, Sweetheart." The man offered her a grin and she knew!

"Wyatt!" Glitch grinned back.

"We need the last number to reverse the beam," he told her, taking her hand to help her to feet. "Now think!" She stumbled over to stare at her brain, almost hungry for the knowledge it held. Raw connected her once again, but now she was in a white water rapids of memory, searching vainly for the numbers she needed. "Is it my locker combination?"

"Come on!" Wyatt urged, leaning in close.

"Uh, the Queen's birthday?" She trembled as she fought for the knowledge, careening around wrong turns and bouncing off of dead ends. "I can't think!"

Wyatt caught her eye. "You can do this!"

"I can't think!" She looked frantically from Wyatt to Raw, pressured by the knowledge that she was the only one who knew how to turn off the machine.

Raw's hand tightened on her shoulder. "Feel, Glitch!"

"I can't! I can't!" She started to hyperventilate, horrified to realize that tears were burning at the backs of her eyes.

Wyatt's voice, suddenly calm and steady, distracted her from her panic. "I know what to do."

"What?" When she turned to look at him, he met her eyes for a long moment, sadness and steely resolve in his gaze.

He turned and walked over to where he'd fallen, stooping to pick up his gun. "If we can't reverse the number, I've got to shut it down. I'm sorry Amber Rose."

"No! No!" It was Raw who made the protest as Wyatt aimed the gun, patting her shoulder. "Wait, wait!"

The last number seemed to crash into her mind like a waterfall and she gladly shouted, "1514: our anniversary, of course!" Wyatt gladly let his gun arm drop. "Commence the reverse pulsing!"

The four of them listened in silence as the machine wound down. As the silence that followed became deafening, Wyatt asked, "Is it over?"

"Let's go see," Glitch suggested with a bright smile.

"Raw know which way." The Viewer added his own vote.

Together, the three of them left the brain room. As they made their way up to wherever DG was, Glitch commented, "You know, I remembered a lot of things while Raw had me connected to the rest of my marbles."

"Oh, yeah?" Wyatt grunted as Raw placed his hand over the wound in his shoulder. "Such as?"

"Such as the fact that I had a miscarriage before I had Jeb," she replied, smiling when he glanced at her in surprise. "And the fact that you and Adair gave me a special necklace to help remind me that you still love me."

He nodded slowly. "Yeah, I've been meaning to ask what happened to it. You weren't wearing it when Az captured you and you haven't _been_ wearing it."

She shrugged helplessly. "That I don't remember."

"We'll find out together, then," Wyatt assured her, kissing her cheek.

"Yeah, together." She nodded and kissed his in return. Together sounded good.


	26. Intersecting Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that the Sorceress is gone, it's time to share some news.

Wyatt stood between Glitch and Raw, gazing at the O.Z. with a satisfied smile. It was finally safe again. As the suns began to descend and natural darkness fell over the land, the Queen turned from the window. She gasped softly when she caught sight of Glitch. "Oh, Amber Rose."

"She means you, Sweetheart," Wyatt murmured when Glitch didn't respond immediately.

The former Royal Advisor blinked and dropped into a deep curtsey. "Your Majesty."

"You don't need to curtsey to me, old friend," Violetta replied, moving forward to draw Glitch to her feet, pulling the other woman into a hug once she'd straightened fully.

After a moment of hesitation, Glitch returned the hug. "You are the Queen, though."

"She is your family," Ahamo gently interjected as his wife stepped back, lavender eyes sad.

Glitch kept hold of the Queen's hands, sadness shadowing her face briefly. "I wish I could remember."

"I'm sorry, Auntie Rose." Azkadellia's voice, devoid of cold cruelty, startled all of them into turning towards her. DG stood by her sister's side, holding her hand.

The older woman offered the Princess a smile. "It's not _your_ fault, Azkadee. You were possessed by the witch."

"It's _my_ fault," DG volunteered, her voice shaking. "The witch possessed you because I didn't hold onto your hand."

Figuring everyone would soon be arguing over who was to blame, Wyatt spoke up before anyone else could say something, "Who is and isn't to blame for Glitch's condition is irrelevant now. It happened and we can't go back and fix it."

"Not go _back_ and fix it, perhaps," Azkadellia offered, looking thoughtful.

Before she could expand on her thought, however, Jeb rushed into the room, his face streaked with soot and his clothes spattered with blood. Bowing to Violetta, he told her, "The Tower is ours, your Majesty."

"Thank you, Mr...?" the Queen trailed off meaningfully, tactfully asking his name.

Wyatt and Amber Rose's son straightened, not quite meeting his sovereign's eyes. "My name is Jeb Cain, Majesty."

" _Jeb_?" Violetta repeated, her eyes betraying her surprise that the handsome young man before her had once been the little boy her daughters had loved to play with when they were younger. "You've grown a great deal since I last saw you."

Jeb's mouth quirked in a familiar smile that made Wyatt's heart ache with longing. "It's been twelve annuals, your Majesty."

"Yes." She looked sad for a moment before shaking it off and looking around curiously. "Where is Adair? Is he well?"

Wyatt answered before his son could, valiantly keeping his voice steady. "Adair is dead. We found his grave during our travels."

"If you'd dug it up, though, you'd have found that it was empty," Jeb responded quickly. "Dad and I planted that to get Zero off Dad's back."

He stared at his son, hope flaring in his chest in spite of himself. "Adair is actually alive?"

"Yes, he is." Jeb nodded, brown eyes apologetic. "After we planted the grave, Dad went to Cain Ranch. He's been working there as a ranch hand."

The former Tin Man staggered, overwhelmed by the combination of blood loss and sheer relief. Glitch and Raw caught him before he could fall, helping him to sit down in a nearby chair. His vision blurred with tears that he fought back, determined to stay strong. That determination crumbled when he felt Glitch wrap her arms around his shoulders. Acting on instinct, he wrapped his arms around her waist, buried his face in her shoulder, and began to cry, releasing all the emotions he'd stifled over the last few days. Distantly he felt the others touch his back and shoulders. Glitch murmured softly in his ear as she stroked his back and shoulders, "Let yourself cry, Wyatt. You've been through a lot. We all have."

"I'm sorry, Father," Jeb's voice followed close on the heels of his mother's. "It was the only way we could think of to keep Zero from hunting down Dad."

After a few more moments, Wyatt's tears had stopped and he slowly straightened up. Meeting Glitch's eyes, he told her, "Thanks."

"None needed," she told him with a cheerful smile, kissing the tip of his nose playfully.

He turned to Jeb next. "Don't apologize for doing what you thought was best. I'd rather mistakenly mourn for Adair for a few days than _really_ mourn for him for the rest of my life."

"Okay." Jeb smiled and nodded, relief flashing briefly in his eyes. "We should probably go see him soon." His glance included both Wyatt and Glitch. "Dad always worried about you two."

DG gently interjected herself into the conversation, looking hopeful. "May I come with you?"

"And Raw?" The Viewer's request was a gentle rumble.

Glitch answered with a sunny smile. "Sure!" Then she blinked and looked confused. "What are we doing?"

* * *

"Uncle 'Brose!" Adair paused in the midst of currying his horse at the call. _Her voice is so achingly familiar sometimes!_ "Where are you?"

Clearing his throat, he called back, "In here, Alexius!"

The twelve-annual-old girl appeared at the stall door, rich chestnut brown hair gleaming in the late afternoon sunslight. "Jeb's here and he brought friends this time!"

"Really?" Adair finished taking care of his horse and set the brush aside. "Who are they?"

"Don't know." Alexius' lower lip began to creep forward in a pout. "Uncle Howie saw them coming and asked me to come get you."

Adair's heart skipped a beat as he exited the stall and carefully latched it behind him. _Could it be...?_ "Let's go find out together, then."

"Okay!" Her pout vanishing in a bright smile, Alexius slipped her hand into Adair's. Together, they walked towards the ranch house. "I hope they're nice, whoever they are."

He smiled quietly, thinking of who he hoped they were. "I'm sure they are."

"Adair!" The shout stopped him in his tracks. It'd been eight annuals since he'd last heard his name called by that particular voice.

Slowly, he looked at the back porch of the ranch house. Two familiar figures stood side-by-side. One was Jeb. The other was: "Wyatt!"

Releasing Alexius' hand, Adair hurried towards the ranch house as his husband stepped off the back porch. They met in the middle of the yard, embracing tightly. Wyatt's voice was a harsh whisper in his ear: "Gods, Darling, I've missed you!"

"I've missed you, too, Love." Adair's own voice was choked with emotion as he breathed in the scent of leather, gun oil, and woodsmoke that was uniquely Wyatt. Softly, he asked, "What about Amber? Is she all right?"

Wyatt stiffened at that, gently pulling back. His eyes were serious when they met Adair's. "She's alive, but she's greatly changed."

"Who _isn't_ changed after all these annuals?" Adair asked with a snort.

Before Wyatt could say anything in reply, Alexius piped up, "Uncle 'Brose, why did he call you Adair?"

"Uncle 'Brose?" Wyatt repeated, doing a double-take once he got a good look at Alexius. "Gods..."

Adair took Alexius' hand once more. "Let's all go inside. I have a feeling a lot of things are going to be explained."

"Okay!" Alexius only walked alongside Adair for a few steps before she dashed ahead to the back porch. "Jeb!"

The young man grinned as he caught her up in a hug. "Hey, Alex! How are you?"

"I'm great!" With the two standing together, their resemblance to each other was more obvious. "I missed you."

Jeb squeezed her shoulders gently. "I missed you, too."

"Who came with you?" Alexius' face was bright with curiosity and Adair heard Wyatt's breath catch next to him.

Glancing briefly at his two fathers, Jeb took her inside. "Let's go meet them..."

"Is she..." Wyatt's voice trailed off, sounding wistful and hopeful.

Adair nodded, answering the unfinished question. "Jeb and I think so. She looks too much like Amber _not_ to be her daughter. "

They started toward the house together. "How old is she?"

"Twelve annuals," Adair responded promptly, opening the door for Wyatt.

The former Tin Man gave a sigh of relief as he moved past Adair into the house. "The right age to be yours or mine."

"As if anyone could _force_ Amber into something like that." Adair followed Wyatt into the house.

Wyatt sounded troubled as he replied, "It depends on _how_ they did it."

"You're starting to scare me, Love," Adair responded with a frown, concerned. "What happened to her?"

The blond gestured to the sitting room where the brunette could hear voices. "See for yourself."

Frowning, Adair entered the room and stopped just inside it. Howard and Roberta were seated together on the settee, watching the others quietly. Jeb sat on the couch near them with Alexius perched on the arm beside him. The two were talking animatedly with a young woman almost twice Alexius' age sitting next to Jeb. On her other side sat Raw, whom Adair was rather glad to see. Slouched in the chair at Raw's end of the couch was a figure at once familiar and unfamiliar to Adair. Slowly, he approached her. "Amber Rose?"

All conversation stopped at the sound of his question. Amber Rose tilted her head and gazed at Adair with a puzzled expression, the zipper bisecting her head glinting in the lamplight. "Do I know you?"

"Glitch, this is Adair Walker," Wyatt explained calmly, having moved to stand beside his husband. "Darling, this is Glitch."

"Yeah, 'cause sometimes my synapses don't fire right," Amber Rose added with a grin. She paused and repeated, "Sometimes my synapses don't fire right."

Alexius giggled, breaking the silence. "You just said that!"

"Did I?" Amber Rose laughed. "There I go, glitching again!"

The young woman sitting between Jeb and Raw giggled. At the questioning looks she received, she explained, "I'm sorry, but that's almost _exactly_ how my introduction to Glitch went."

"It is?" Amber Rose looked surprised. The young woman nodded. "Wow."

Wyatt cleared his throat and continued the introductions he'd begun, "You remember Raw, of course." Adair nodded and shook the Viewer's hand. "And this is DG."

" _Princess_ DG?" Adair asked, staring more intently at the young woman even as he shook her hand. He could see the resemblance now that he was looking for it.

She gave a weary smile. "Yes, I am."

"I'm very relieved to see you alive and well," Adair told her, squeezing her hand.

The Princess offered a bemused smile as she returned the squeeze. "Thank you, Mr. Walker. The feeling is mutual."

"You remember me?" Adair clearly remembered Amber Rose telling him and Wyatt that the Queen planned to put a magical block around DG's memories of the O.Z.

DG shook her head. "No, but I saw the recording of the day Wyatt was put in the suit and I was with him when he found your 'grave'."

"I see." Adair released her hand and stepped back to stand next to Wyatt. "Would I be correct in guessing that the Sorceress is no longer in power?"

Wyatt nodded, his arm coming up wrap around Adair's waist. "Yes, you would, Darling. Az is herself once more."

"Good, I've missed hearing my name," Adair commented, slipping his arm around Wyatt's shoulders.

Alexius, who'd been leaning against the back of the couch, sat up at that and asked, "You mean your name isn't really Ambrose Royce?"

"Ambrose?" Wyatt repeated with a smile, blond eyebrows arched inquiringly.

Adair felt his cheeks grow warm. "It was all I could think of at the time."

"Why did you need a fake name?" Alexius asked, brown eyes gleaming with curiosity.

He cleared his throat. "Because the nasty Longcoats wanted to kill me. Jeb and I made them think they had and I came here."

"Something doesn't make sense here," DG interrupted, looking puzzled. "Why pretend at all?"

Raw spoke up at last. "Bad injury. Leg still hurt."

"Yeah, one of the Longcoats got in a lucky shot," Jeb explained. "It was slowing us down."

Adair glanced at Wyatt apologetically. "We decided it would be best to separate at that point."

"I understand." Wyatt squeezed Adair's waist briefly. "We're just glad you're alive."

Alexius broke in just then. "So, what should I call you if not Uncle 'Brose?"

"Dad," Raw interjected his observation before anyone else could say anything.

All eyes turned to the Viewer. "He's my father?" Raw nodded, meeting the girl's eyes steadily. "Do you know who my mother is?" He silently indicated Amber Rose.

"Me? What'd I do?" Adair's heart broke over the former Royal Advisor's obvious puzzlement.

Wyatt moved to stand by her chair, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Apparently, you gave birth to Alexius about two annuals before the Sorceress took over the O.Z."

"Oh!" Amber Rose grinned brightly at the girl. "How nice. I wish I could remember that."

Adair chuckled, moving to lean on the back of Amber Rose's chair. "Considering how exhausted you were after Jeb's birth, maybe it's a good thing you don't remember."

"Why was I at the orphanage?" Adair recognized the warning signs that Alexius was about to get _very_ upset. "Orphans are kids without a mom or dad."

He quickly moved to Alexius' side and leaned down so he could be at her eye level. "Your mom was the Royal Advisor to the Queen when she gave birth to you and the Sorceress was quickly gaining power. It's likely you were taken to the orphanage to keep you safe."

"Why didn't _you_ take me with you?" Alexius' lower lip was beginning to tremble. "Like Jeb."

Adair opened his arms, silently asking for a hug. Much to his delight, Alexius slipped off her perch and into his arms. "I didn't _know_ you'd been born. If I had, I _certainly_ would have taken you with me."

"I'm glad _you're_ my dad," Alexius murmured against his neck, clinging to him.

He blinked back tears of joy at the confirmation of his suspicions. "I'm glad _you're_ my daughter."


	27. Rediscovering the Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Re-connecting as a family after so many annuals apart is not going to be easy.

Glitch stared up at the ceiling of the bedroom she'd been given for the night. She'd gotten so used to sleeping outside on the hard ground that sleeping inside on a soft bed felt uncomfortable to her. Sighing in frustration, she pushed the covers back and got up. Shivering in the cool night air, she pulled the blanket off the bed and wrapped it around her, leaving the room. As she tiptoed down the hall to the kitchen in search of a snack, she heard quiet voices coming from the room she knew Wyatt and Adair were sharing. A little tentatively, she tapped on the door. The voices fell silent and she could hear movement before Wyatt's voice called, "Come in!"

"Sorry to bother you, but I couldn't sleep," she started babbling the moment she opened the door. "So I decided to go to the kitchen for a midnight snack even though it probably isn't even really midnight and--"

She stopped short, blinking, when she realized Wyatt was standing before her, wearing a pair of light blue pajama bottoms, smiling softly and patiently. "It's okay, Sweetheart. Come on in and join us."

"Okay." Glitch followed him to the large bed, where Adair was propped against the headboard, wearing only a pair of gray pajama bottoms. "Hi, Adair."

"Hello, Precious," he replied, a fond smile on his face, as Wyatt stretched out next to Adair.

A little hesitantly, she climbed onto the bed and sat next to the former Tin Man. Wyatt smiled sleepily as he commented, "You've always had trouble sleeping somewhere new."

"What did I usually do about it?" she asked, drawing the blanket tighter around herself.

Wyatt answered, his voice amused, "Before we became a triad, you usually had something to eat."

"What about after?" Glitch glanced from one to the other.

Adair smiled nostalgically. "We had fun 'exhausting' you."

"Oh?" She stared at him in confusion. "What did you do to exhaust me?" The two men just _looked_ at her. After a moment, she blushed as it hit that she'd been _married_ to them. "Oh! We had sex, didn't we?"

Adair laughed as Wyatt replied, "We prefer to call it 'making love', but yes."

"Jeb and Alexius came from _somewhere_ , after all," Adair added, grinning.

Glitch rested her hands on her stomach. "Inside me?"

"Well, yes, but they needed help to get _inside_ you in the first place." Adair looked amused.

She sighed and shook her head, sure there was something important she was missing. "I wish I had all my marbles back. I'm sure I'd understand better then."

"Az said we can try putting your brain back in," Wyatt reminded her soothingly, reaching out to pat her knee through her blanket. "Provided all three of us agree it's best."

Adair stared at Wyatt in surprise. "Really? The other half of Amber's brain is still in good condition?"

"It was being used to run the Sun Seeder," Wyatt explained, seeming not to notice when Glitch carefully slipped her hand out from under her blanket to take hold of his. His hand tightened briefly around hers, so she knew he'd noticed. "You probably noticed that the double eclipse lasted longer than usual several days ago."

Adair nodded as Glitch shifted to lie next to Wyatt, still holding his hand. "Yeah, we did. What happened, exactly?"

"The Sorceress tried to use Amber's Sun Seeder to lock the suns into place behind the moon," Wyatt told his husband, his fingers twining with Glitch's.

She closed her eyes as Adair answered dryly, "Obviously, she didn't succeed."

"Obviously," Wyatt's voice was sarcastic and dry.

Apparently, the former Tin Man's response amused Adair, because the taller man chuckled. It was followed the sound of kissing and Glitch barely opened her eyes to watch. Smiling at the obvious love and affection between the two men, she slowly drifted off to sleep. Her hand was still twined with Wyatt's.

* * *

Wyatt woke to find himself holding Glitch in his arms, just as he had the past few mornings. What was different this time was Adair spooned against his back, his breathing steady and even against the ex-Tin Man's neck. He'd have liked nothing more than to stay between them and drift back to sleep, but he knew it wasn't going to happen. Wyatt carefully eased out from between the other two and tiptoed over to the dresser to change into a shirt and pants. He paused at the bedroom door and glanced back at the bed. Much to his amusement, Glitch and Adair had already gravitated towards each other, her head nestling against his chest and his cheek resting on her hair. _That's a good sign..._

Wyatt made his way to the kitchen where Alexius was seated at the kitchen table, reading a book. She looked up when he entered, smiling shyly when she saw him. "G'morning."

"Good morning." He smiled back and checked the coffeemaker. As he'd expected, the coffee in the pot was still hot and strong. As he poured himself a cup, he asked Alexius a question that had been niggling at him since the previous evening, "You grew up in an orphanage?"

"Yeah." Her answer was frustratingly brief, but he hadn't known Amber Rose for so many annuals without developing some patience.

He put the coffee pot back and sat down at the table. "How did you end up here? Did Howard and Roberta adopt you?"

"The Sorceress wanted to use all of us orphans for labor," she explained, her voice disturbingly pragmatic and the look in her brown eyes far too mature for a girl of only twelve annuals. "The headmistress didn't want to see that happen so she sent us to whoever took us in."

He nodded, smiling, "And my brothers took you in."

"Me and lots of other orphans," she confirmed, nodding her head. When a lock of her wavy hair fell into her eyes, she made a frustrated noise and brushed it back. "The others are already doing their chores."

Wyatt raised an eyebrow, strongly reminded of Amber Rose in that little gesture Alexius had made. "Why aren't _you_ doing _your_ chores?"

"Aunt Berta said I didn't have to, since you, Mom, Raw, Jeb, and Princess DG are here." Her brown eyes flashed and she lifted her chin defiantly.

The act of lifting her chin made it easier for him to see the necklace she wore. Keeping his voice casual as he got up to begin gathering ingredients for breakfast, he said, "That's a real pretty necklace you're wearing. Did someone give it to you?"

"The headmistress said I was wearing it when I was brought to the orphanage," Alexius sounded exasperated, as if she'd had to explain it more than once.

His heart skipped a beat as he mixed up batter for waffles. "It's possible your mother gave it to you before she sent you to the orphanage."

"How would _you_ know?" She sounded confrontational, not that he blamed her.

He finished pouring batter onto the waffle iron. "Your father and I gave her a necklace very like that one an annual before Jeb was born. If it's the same one, there should be an inscription on the back that says ' _Precious Sweetheart_ '."

Alexius remained silent for a long moment, presumably checking that he was right. Finally, she asked, "You _and_ Dad gave this to Mom?"

"Yes, we did." The answer came from the kitchen doorway, where Adair stood with Glitch at his side. Both looked sleep-tousled, but awake. While Glitch sat down at the table, Adair went over to the coffeemaker to pour coffee for the two of them.

"I don't understand what's going on." Alexius sounded confused and frustrated as Wyatt removed the first waffle and poured batter for the next one. "You and Mr. Cain greeted each other as if _you're_ married, but then how could _I_ have been born if you two were? Is Mom a surrogate?"

Wyatt turned and watched as Adair sat down beside Glitch at the table, setting one of the coffee cups in front of her. She sipped it cautiously before smiling and taking a larger sip. She answered her daughter's question, "No, if what Wyatt and Adair have told me is correct, all three of us love each other very much. You and Jeb are proof of that love."

"You mean Jeb is my brother?" He turned quickly to check the waffle iron to hide his smile at the dismay in Alexius' voice. Wyatt had wondered if she'd developed a crush on his son.

Jeb answered the question from the doorway. "Half-brother. We have the same mother, but different fathers."

"Oh." She excused herself a few moments later and hurried from the room.

Wyatt listened as the others talked. Glitch asked a question, clearly addressing her husband and son. "Was that good or bad?"

"It's a lot for her to take in," Adair explained soothingly. "Give her time."

Jeb added his voice, "I'll talk to her. Maybe I can help her understand how your relationship works better than you three can."

"What makes you think you can explain it better?" Wyatt kept his voice mild as he finished pouring the last of the batter on the waffle iron.

His son was grinning when he turned to look at him. "Because I can offer a similar perspective that you three can't."

They watched him go in silence. Glitch was the first to speak up, "I really wish I could remember all this."

"There's a good chance you will if you agree to have your brain put back," Wyatt reminded her gently, removing the last waffle.

"It's not guaranteed, though?" Adair asked as his husband carried the waffles to the table and set the three plates down.

He shook his head, retrieving the butter and syrup while he was still up. "Unfortunately no, but we'd have the Queen and the Princesses helping with their magic."

"You're really going to trust Az to help?" Adair looked skeptical as he began spreading butter on his waffle. "She's the reason Glitch is like this in the first place."

Glitch answered the question herself, smiling softly. "Azkadee wasn't the one in power all these years, Adair. She was possessed by a witch and _she_ was the one in control."

"Not everyone is going to see it that way," Adair replied, looking from Glitch to Wyatt.

The blond nodded. "Az is painfully aware of this. She already offered to abdicate her right to succeed her mother."

"What did the Queen think of that?" Adair took a bite of his waffle.

Glitch answered the question. "She wants Azkadee to wait until the O.Z. has had a chance to recover and rebuild from the mess the Sorceress made of it."

"I suppose that makes sense." He sounded thoughtful. "Best to make the decision after having time to calmly consider it."

Glitch nodded, taking a bite of her waffle. "That's exactly what the Queen feels."


	28. Merging With the Old Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They return to the palace and a decision needs to be made.

The Queen met them in the Palace Entrance Hall when they returned from Cain Ranch a week later. She smiled when she saw that more had returned than left. "Adair, it's wonderful to see you alive and well."

"It's good to see you, too, your Majesty." He returned her hug with only a slight hesitation. It'd been so long since he'd seen her and the intervening annuals had changed her.

She paused when she caught sight of Alexius, who clung to her brother's hand. "Who is this?"

"May I present Alexius Walker?" Adair caught his daughter's free hand and gently drew her forward.

Alexius curtsied, keeping her head bowed shyly. "Your Majesty."

"Oh, my dear child." Much to everyone's surprise, the Queen reached out and drew the girl into a hug. "I'm so glad you're safe!"

As Alexius hesitantly returned the hug, Adair asked, "You knew about Alexius?"

"I helped Amber Rose give birth to her," Violetta explained, releasing the girl, who retreated to stand with her father. "She was the last good news for me until the double eclipse."

Her voice shaking a little, Alexius asked, "Did _you_ take me to the orphanage?"

"Yes, I did." The Queen smiled sadly. "We knew it would be too dangerous for you to remain at the Palace. It was your mother's idea to give you the necklace. She hoped Adair and Wyatt would recognize it and realize who you were."

Adair grinned and lightly squeezed his daughter's hand as she reached up with the other one to finger the necklace. "It did, indeed, though we weren't able to confirm it until a few days ago."

"Of course." Violetta nodded just as Alexius barely hid a yawn behind her hand. "And of course you're tired after your journey. Please come and rest."

While they followed the Queen to the private wing of the palace, Alexius asked, "What does she mean, she helped Mom give birth to me?"

"Well, you remember that foals come from their mothers?" Adair silently thanked his brother- and sister-in-law for taking Alexius in all over again.

The girl nodded. "Yes, they stay in the mom's tummy until it's time for them to come out."

"Exactly, and _we_ stay in _our_ mommies' tummies until it's time to come out." He smiled as he explained. "Just like Uncle Howie helps the foal come out of the mommy horse, Violetta helped _you_ come out of your mom."

She listened gravely to his explanation and nodded when he finished. "Okay!"

"That's an interesting way to put it," Wyatt murmured in his husband's ear while Alexius turned her attention to studying their surroundings.

Adair scowled good-naturedly. "You can finish explaining where babies come from when she's old enough."

"I'd welcome the chance." Wyatt slipped his hand into Adair's and squeezed gently. The brunette smiled and returned the squeeze.

* * *

As Glitch tossed and turned in her bed that night, a timid voice whispered through the dimness. "Mom?"

"What is it, Alexius?" she asked, peering at the other bed, where her daughter was supposed to be asleep. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

"I can't fall asleep," Alexius replied. "The bed's too soft."

Glitch stifled a chuckle. _That's my problem, too!_ Instead, she said, "Why don't you come join me? Maybe my bed is firm enough for you."

She heard bedclothes being flung back, followed by the pad of bare feet across the carpeted floor. Within moments, Alexius was snuggled close beside her mother. "Thank you."

"Not at all," Glitch answered cheerfully, combing her slender fingers through the girl's dark brown curls. As she did, they caught on the chain of the necklace Alexius was wearing. Tracing the chain, she asked, "Why are you wearing a necklace to bed?"

The girl's slender arms tightened briefly. "I had to at the orphanage. Otherwise the other kids would steal it while I was sleeping."

"What about at the ranch?" Glitch asked, fingering the pendant. Something about the shape and weight of it in her hand was tantalizingly familiar.

She felt the girl shrug. "I was so used to never taking it off that I don't anymore."

"It's very special, isn't it?" She kissed the top of Alexius' head.

Alexius nodded, pressing close to Glitch. "It was all I had of you or Dad for annuals."

She frowned, a memory teasing at the edge of her consciousness. " _I_ gave it to you?"

"Before the Queen took me to the orphanage." Alexius sounded hurt. "She said so just this afternoon."

Glitch blinked, the memory snapping into place. "Oh, yeah, I remember now." She hugged her daughter comfortingly. "Forgive me. Having only half a brain makes it hard for me to remember things, even ones that happened recently."

"Why do you only have half your brain?" The question was innocently asked and Glitch was hard-pressed to think of a proper answer.

She hummed thoughtfully before she answered, "Because of what I knew. The Sorceress wanted to know it, too. So she took my marbles."

"Why didn't you tell her?" Alexius sounded puzzled. "Aunt Berta says it's always nice to help when someone asks."

Glitch smiled wryly. "The Sorceress wanted to know what I knew so she could do bad things with that knowledge."

"Wasn't she able to take your brain and do those bad things anyway?" The twelve-annual-old responded with the logic of the young. "What was the point in not telling her in the first place?"

The former Royal Advisor sighed softly and kissed the top of her daughter's head. "I wanted no voluntary part in the Sorceress' plans. Even though my refusal ultimately did no good, I can still live with myself because I didn't _help_ the Sorceress at all."

"But now you're missing half your brain and you don't remember things," Alexius' voice was plaintive and it sounded like she was on the verge of tears.

"Shh." Glitch held her daughter close, rubbing her back soothingly. "My marbles can be put back and I _will_ remember. Just wait and see."

Alexius sniffed and nestled closer to her mother. "Okay."

"Good. Sleep now." Just moments after she whispered the words, mother and daughter were both fast asleep, holding tight to each other.

* * *

Wyatt and Adair sat with Glitch between them as they, the Queen, and both of her daughters consulted with the Sorceress' leading live alchemist about the feasibility of returning Glitch's brain to her cranium. "You must understand, Majesty: we never considered having to return a brain once it had been removed."

"Now you have to," the Queen retorted, her voice firm and unyielding. Out of the corner of his eye, Wyatt saw Azkadellia flinch.

The alchemist licked her lips nervously, the chains attached to her ankles clinking as she shifted her weight. "Given that it is Amber Rose's brain, it is theoretically possible."

"But?" Violetta prompted, glancing at her old friend briefly.

A shrug preceded the alchemist's response. "Some of the connections that were severed during the initial operation may never reconnect. We won't know unless the surgery is attempted."

The Queen looked over at Raw, who stood behind the Princesses' chairs. "Do you think you could help with the reconnections, Raw?"

"Yes, Majesty." The Viewer nodded after thinking a few moments. "Raw can do that."

Violetta nodded in reply and turned her attention to Wyatt, Glitch, and Adair. "It is your decision, my friends. I will not make it for you."

"Thank you, Majesty," Wyatt answered for all of them. "May we have time to consider?"

"Of course." She gestured and the guards took the alchemist away. "Take as much as you need to make this decision."

Wyatt nodded as Adair answered this time, "Thank you, again, Majesty."

Together, the three of them left the throne room. None of them spoke until they reached the suite of rooms their family had been given. "What do you say, Glitch?"

" _Now_ my opinion matters?" she demanded, turning to face them with flashing eyes.

"I beg your pardon?" Adair glanced at Wyatt and the ex-Tin Man could see his own puzzlement written in his husband's eyes.

Their wife turned away, pacing towards a window. "Everyone's been discussing this as if it's certain I'll agree, certain that it's only a matter of time."

"Isn't it?" Wyatt began to worry as he approached Glitch. "As far as I know, you're all for having your marbles back."

He watched as she clasped her hands behind her back, the long, slender fingers of one hand plucking at the sleeve on her other arm. "As I listened to the discussions, it occurred to me that it may not be the best idea in the world."

"Why wouldn't it be?" Adair's voice was gentle as he stood beside Glitch at the window.

She turned to face them, brown eyes worried for the first time that Wyatt could remember since they'd been reunited. "What will happen to 'Glitch' once 'Amber Rose' is back? Will I disappear completely once I have all my marbles again?"

"No." Wyatt shook his head, gently taking hold of her arms to stop the nervous habit. "Glitch is part of Amber Rose. Many of your habits and gestures haven't changed. Seeing them is painful at times because I'm reminded of what we had before the Sorceress forced us apart."

She gazed up at him for a long moment, brown eyes intent. Then she turned to look at Adair. "Is he right?"

"Yes." Adair nodded. "I've seen it myself. Glitch is Amber Rose and Amber Rose is Glitch. That won't change if your marbles are put back."

Glitch stared at Adair, and then stretched up to kiss him. Not a quick peck as had become typical since they'd reunited, but a proper kiss, full of passion and love. After a moment of surprise, Adair returned the kiss, wrapping his arms around Glitch to hold her close. When they pulled apart, Glitch barely took time to catch her breath before turning and kissing Wyatt as well. He couldn't quite stifle a moan as he enfolded her in his arms and returned the kiss with pleasure. When he reluctantly ended the kiss so he could catch his breath, Glitch asked, "Take me to bed?"

"What?" Wyatt stared at her, and then looked at Adair. "Are you sure?"

She nodded, looking from one of them to the other. "If you're wrong and Glitch _does_ disappear when my marbles are put back, I want you to have at least one night with me to remember."

"If that's your only reason, then we'll have to decline," Adair replied after exchanging a glance with Wyatt. "We want you in our bed because _you_ want to be there."

Glitch sighed, looking exasperated. "Of _course_ I want to be in your bed. I wouldn't have asked if I hadn't wanted it."

Wyatt laughed softly, kissing the tip of her nose. "We love you, Glitch, whether you have all of your marbles or not."

"Then take me to bed and make love to me," she all but ordered them, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Yes, Ma'am!" They spoke almost in unison, coordinating their efforts to sweep her off her feet and carry her to the bedroom.

The next morning found the two men waiting outside the Infirmary with their children and friends nearby as their wife underwent the surgery that would put her brain back in her skull.


	29. Forgotten Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The surgery doesn't quite work the way they'd expected.

When she woke up, it was to find herself snuggled between her husbands. Her cheek rested on Adair's chest, the heart beating steadily in her ear. Wyatt was pressed against her back, each exhale of his breath stirring the hairs at the nape of her neck. She tightened her arms around Adair's waist, making a sleepy, contented sound in the back of her throat. Either the sound she'd made or the movement disturbed Adair, because the arm draped across her waist shifted until his hand rested on her hip, smoothing over the curve. "Mmm..."

The other arm draped across her waist shifted so the hand attached to it could cover hers where it rested on Adair's back. The familiar warm, callused palm slid along her arm to come to rest on her shoulder, gently pulling her back to rest against the warm solidness of Wyatt's chest. She turned her face up, expecting a kiss, but it didn't come. "Sweetheart?"

"Hmm?" She slowly opened her eyes, smiling sleepily up at him. "Hello, Wyatt."

"How are you feeling?" he asked, his face and voice unusually serious, even for him.

She frowned, looking from him to Adair and back again. While it was only mildly disconcerting to see Wyatt so serious, it was _very_ disconcerting to see _Adair_ just as serious. "I feel fine?" After a moment, she added, "Though my head feels like I tried to drink my weight in martinis last night, and then some." Her husbands exchanged a glance and she frowned even more. "What's going on?"

"What's the last thing you remember, Precious?" Adair answered with a question of his own, which she was pretty sure wasn't fair.

Raising an eyebrow, she focused inward, mentally focusing on the last event to happen to her. She gasped and her hand flew up to feel the top of her head. In place of the zipper she expected, she found a line of bandages. "The last thing I recall is losing consciousness just before they were going to take my brain." She looked at her husbands, "You're not supposed to be here. Where's Jeb? Is he all right? What about the Queen? The Sorceress? What's going on?"

"Calm down, Sweetheart." Wyatt caught her hand in his and gently held it. "Everything's all right. You don't need to worry."

She clutched at his arms, staring into his eyes. "Don't need to worry? The Sorceress just took over! The O.Z. is in danger! Of course I need to worry!"

"Precious, you're a little behind the times," Adair rested his slim hands on her shoulders. "Take a deep breath." She did as he suggested. "Good. Now, look closely at us. Do you notice anything different or unusual?"

She looked at Wyatt, noticing that his eyes were shadowed in a way they never had been before. There were more lines around his eyes and mouth, too, and just a hint of silver amongst the pale blond of his hair. Shifting onto her back, she looked carefully at Adair, too. There were more lines around his eyes as well and his hair was longer than she remembered it being. "You seem older, but it's been annuals since we saw each other."

"Sweetheart, half of your brain _was_ removed," Wyatt explained gently, his eyes flicking to Adair's briefly. "You wandered the O.Z. on your own for gods know how long. Then you ran into DG and the Sorceress was defeated. Yesterday, you went through surgery to put your brain _back_ and, apparently, it wasn't quite as successful as we'd hoped it would be."

She stared at Wyatt, shaking her head disbelievingly. "No, no, that's-- no!"

An unfamiliar young woman burst into the room, closely followed by Raw. "What is it, Wyatt? Is something wrong with Glitch?"

"She doesn't remember anything about being Glitch, DG," Wyatt explained as other faces appeared around the doorway, including one that sent shivers down her spine. "She doesn't remember that we succeeded, that the O.Z. is safe again."

"Don't take my marbles!" she whimpered, burrowing in between her husbands. She felt someone touch her shoulder, and then blackness descended.

* * *

Wyatt smiled wryly up at Raw as the Viewer pulled his hand away from Glitch--Amber Rose's shoulder. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." Raw smiled sadly. "Glitch buried under Amber Rose's memories. Give her time to remember on own."

Alexius padded over to the bed and climbed onto it to sit cross-legged at the foot as her fathers helped straighten her mother into a more comfortable sleeping position. "What's wrong with Mom?"

"She's forgotten everything that happened between her brain being removed to it being put back," Adair explained, stroking Amber Rose's curls back from her cheek. "It's as if the last ten annuals haven't happened at all for her."

Azkadellia made a distressed sound and darted out the door. DG went after her sister with Raw following close behind. The Queen and King Consort entered moments later, looking after their daughters and the Viewer with concern. Violetta and Ahamo took in the way Wyatt and Adair cradled their wife between them, Alexius perched at the end of the bed and Jeb standing protectively next to it. Quietly, Violetta asked, "Did Amber Rose wake up?"

"She did." Wyatt nodded, shifting to sit up in the bed. "It didn't go well."

The Queen listened in silence as he and Adair related what had happened. The former warehouse manager finished the explanation. "Raw said Glitch is buried under Amber Rose's memories and that she just needs time to rediscover them."

"I see." Violetta gazed thoughtfully at her old friend. "Did he say if there was anything we could do to help?"

Adair shook his head. "No, he left before he could indicate as much."

"Well, you can rest assured that we'll help in whatever we can," Ahamo responded, his smile determinedly cheerful. Beside him, the Queen nodded, her eyes sad once again.

* * *

Several hours later, Amber Rose was up and seated in the sitting room of the suite of rooms that her and her family was using until their cottage could be repaired. Once she'd woken up again, Wyatt and Adair had gently explained that ten annuals had passed and Azkadellia was no longer the Sorceress. Alexius chose that moment to enter the sitting room, having left the room not long after her mother had woken up. Her heart ached to see how much of her daughter's childhood she'd missed. "Hello, Allie."

"Hello, Mom." Alexius smiled and scampered over to join her mother on the settee.

As she did, the necklace she wore caught the light and Amber Rose gently examined it once her daughter was settled by her side. "I'm glad to see you wearing this. I didn't want to give it up, but you needed it more than me."

"The Queen said it was so Dad and Father would know I was _their_ daughter," Alexius replied, reaching up to play with the pendant once Amber Rose released it. Her brown eyes were solemn as they met Amber Rose's. "Did you want it back?"

Smiling gently, Amber Rose shook her head. "No. You keep it. I _gave_ it to you. I didn't _lend_ it."

"What's the difference between giving and lending?" Alexius tilted her head curiously.

It amused Amber Rose to realize that her daughter seemed to have inherited her curiosity as much as Adair's natural good nature. "When you _give_ something to a friend, it's theirs to keep. When you _lend_ them something, you expect them to return it at a future date."

"Oh." Alexius smiled as she snuggled against Amber Rose, her slender arms warm around her mother's waist.

Amber Rose smiled as she held her daughter close. Her smile was replaced by a puzzled frown as a vague sense of déjà vu registered. _Why do I feel like we should be laying down instead of sitting up?_

"Auntie Rose?" The voice that interrupted Amber Rose's thoughts was a familiar one and she had to consciously remind herself that this was her Azkadellia, _not_ the Sorceress.

She offered a smile to her adopted niece. "Hello, Az. Come on in."

"Thank you." As she entered the room, the Royal Advisor mused that the young woman looked like she was trying to make herself as small as possible while still walking tall and graceful, as she'd been taught.

Once the Princess had settled herself on a nearby settee, Amber Rose asked, "What can I do for you, Princess?"

"I wanted to apologize," Azkadellia replied, clasping her hands tightly in her lap. "For taking your brain and making you into Glitch."

Gently releasing Alexius--who gave her mother room to get up--Amber Rose moved to sit beside Azkadellia. As she covered the younger woman's hands with hers, the Royal Advisor was surprised to realize that the Princess flinched as she did so. "Az, from what your mother and my husbands have said, _you_ are not the one responsible for everything. The witch who possessed you is responsible for it."

"She wore my face to do it." Azkadellia kept her eyes on their hands. "Everyone's going to blame me for what she did to the O.Z."

Amber Rose smiled sadly at that. "Everyone except those of us who know you: your parents, me, Wyatt, Adair, DG--"

"I _killed_ her!" Azkadellia exclaimed, tears in her eyes. "I saw the life fade from her eyes and I _enjoyed_ it!"

She quickly drew the younger woman into a hug. The Princess resisted for a moment before clutching tightly at the Royal Advisor, crying. "You're blaming yourself for what the Sorceress did. Until you can accept that it's not your fault, the O.Z. at large will blame you as well."

"I'm so sorry, Auntie Rose." For a moment, Azkadellia sounded like the little girl she'd been the summer before everything started to unravel. "So, so sorry."

She shushed her goddaughter, hardly noticing when DG appeared and sat down on the arm of the settee, resting a hand on her sister's shoulder. "If you need me to forgive you, then I do so gladly. I love you just as much as my own children, Azkadee."

Azkadellia just cried even harder at that, clutching tightly at Amber Rose's jacket. "Thank you, Auntie Rose."

"I forgive you, too, Az," DG added, leaning forward to hug her sister. "Why shouldn't I? You fought the witch so you could reach out and take my hand. Not only that, you _won_! You took my hand, and neither of us let go. That's why the O.Z. is safe at last. We held on tight until the witch was defeated."

"Is that what happened?" Amber Rose asked, glancing at her other goddaughter curiously.

Azkadellia gave a hiccupping laugh as she finally sat up, wiping away the last traces of her tears. "That's just like you, Auntie Rose: always curious."

"Glitch was, too," DG added with a grin, blue eyes sparkling. "Wyatt said there was a lot of Auntie Rose in Glitch and I can see a lot of Glitch in Auntie Rose."

She stared at DG, noticing that her clothes were nothing like she'd seen before. Or had she seen them before? Something about the younger Princess' jacket was vaguely familiar. DG held still as Amber Rose reached out to touch the material. "Where did you get this?"

"This is what I wore while we were traveling together," DG explained, blue eyes guardedly hopeful, an expression Amber Rose was used to seeing in Wyatt's eyes.

Amber Rose looked from one to the other, and then at her daughter, who'd remained sitting quietly on the other settee. "Where's Raw? I think my memories of Glitch are starting to come back and I have a feel--"

She stopped short as the dull, throbbing headache she'd woken up with exploded into something much more painful and intense. After only a few moments, blessed, pain-free blackness descended once again and she embraced it gladly.


	30. New Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The O.Z. and its inhabitants are on the road to recovery.

Jeb, Wyatt, Adair, and Ahamo were busy repairing and restoring the cottage when Alexius found them, shouting something about Amber Rose asking for Raw and collapsing. All four men dropped what they were doing and followed the girl into the palace. When they reached the Cain and Walker suite of rooms, they found the sitting room empty, save for the Queen. "Raw, DG, and Azkadellia took Amber Rose into her room." She looked lost, tears forming in her lavender eyes. "I can't do anything to help. I don't have enough magic left."

"Shh, Love." Ahamo moved to his wife's side, drawing her into a comforting embrace as she began to cry. "DG and Az are stronger together. It'll be all right."

Alexius' hand found its way into Jeb's and he squeezed it reassuringly as he looked over at his fathers. Wyatt and Adair stood side-by-side, Adair's arm around Wyatt's shoulders while Wyatt's was wrapped around Adair's waist. Both had their eyes fixed on the door to the bedroom. Jeb had no idea how much time passed before the door opened. Raw emerged with DG and Azkadellia on either side of him, supporting the exhausted Viewer. "Amber Rose remember everything now. All good."

"Can we see her?" Adair asked anxiously as the princesses helped Raw to the settee.

He nodded his shaggy head with a sigh as he sat down. "Yes. Asleep now. Need you when she wake up."

"Thank you, Raw." Wyatt paused long enough to squeeze his friend's shoulder before following his husband into the bedroom.

Once the princesses stepped back from helping Raw, their parents went to the sisters, embracing each of them warmly. Jeb couldn't take his eyes from Azkadellia. He hadn't spent much time with her since the double eclipse, but he could see the difference in her, aside from the fact that she had a very different sense of fashion than the Sorceress. She seemed timid, unsure. Not at all confident or arrogant like the Sorceress or even the young Princess he remembered playing with before she'd been possessed.

As he watched her, she looked up from hugging Ahamo and her eyes met his across the room. While she gazed at him, he made a point of bowing to her, with respect and honor. By the time he stood up again, she was already crossing the room to him. Tears in her eyes, she said, "I'm sorry, Jeb, for all those cruel things I said and did to you."

"It wasn't _you_ who said them, Azzie," he replied, using his childhood nickname for her deliberately. "It was the Sorceress."

"Remember what Mom said, Aunt Az," Alexius piped up from Jeb's side. "And she must know what she's talking about, since she's the Royal Advisor."

A weak laugh escaped and Azkadellia nodded. "You're right, Allie, and so is Auntie Rose." She looked up to meet Jeb's gaze again. "I just need time to convince myself."

"We'll help however we can," Jeb told her sincerely, reaching out with his free hand to wipe away the tear that had escaped down her cheek.

At that moment, Wyatt appeared at the bedroom door. "Jeb, Allie, your mother would like to see you two, too."

"We'll be right there, Father." Jeb released Alexius' hand and gently pushed her toward the bedroom door. Wyatt smiled and took her hand when she reached the door, leading her inside. Jeb turned back to Azkadellia. "Would you like to go for a walk in the garden later? So we can talk things over?"

She nodded again, smiling shyly. "Yes, I'd like that."

"Good." Jeb smiled back and headed to the bedroom to visit with his mother.

* * *

Amber Rose leaned gratefully back against Adair's chest, smiling when Wyatt re-entered holding Alexius' hand. "Hello, Allie. I hope I didn't scare you too much earlier."

"A little," Alexius admitted as she climbed onto the bed and settled in her mother's lap. "It helped that Aunt DG and Aunt Az were right there to help you."

She nodded, brushing her lips across her daughter's chestnut brown hair. "Yes, I'm sure it did."

"Do you remember everything now, Mom?" Alexius' voice was quiet and anxious.

Amber Rose smiled and stroked her daughter's hair. "I do, Allie. If I could have, I would have kept you when you were born. With the Sorceress gaining power, though, it would have been too dangerous for you to stay in the palace. I'd have sent you to your fathers, but we didn't know where they were and it was better that we try not to find them anyway."

"I understand all that." Her daughter sighed and leaned against her contentedly. "I'm glad we can all be a family now."

Jeb appeared in the doorway in time to hear Alexius' comment, a soft smile on his face. "I am, too, Allie." He walked over to perch on the other side of the bed from his biological father. "I always missed Mother once I had to go away with Father and Dad."

"I always missed you, too, Jeb." Amber Rose held out an arm to her son and smiled with gratitude when he shifted closer to hug her carefully. "I hated to give up any semblance of family. It's what I'd longed for ever since I was young."

Alexius was frowning when her half-brother sat back and twisted so she could look at her mother. "Didn't you have family of your own when you were little?"

"No, I grew up in an orphanage," she explained, gently smoothing the girl's chestnut brown curls back from her face. "I never knew who my parents were. Until I met Wyatt and Adair, the only family I ever knew was the Royal family."

"You will _always_ be part of the Royal family, my friend." They all jumped when the Queen's voice interrupted from the doorway: Wyatt's hand went to his empty holster, Jeb's hand curled into a fist, and Adair's arms tightened around Amber Rose and Alexius. Violetta looked apologetic when she saw how they'd reacted. "My apologies: I didn't mean to startle you."

Each of them slowly relaxed. Amber Rose was the first to recover her composure. "It's all right, old friend. I think we're all going to be more than a little jumpy for awhile."

The Queen nodded sadly. "Yes, I think you're right about that." She quickly composed herself. "If you're feeling up to it, Amber Rose, I was hoping we could walk together in the garden. I've dearly missed your company all these annuals."

"Yes, of course." The Royal Advisor managed to get her husband and daughter to let her stand up and moved to join her friend. "Shall we?"

Together, they left the suite of rooms. Hopefully, this was a sign that things _would_ go back to normal. Or as normal as they could be with all the changes that had happened over the past ten annuals.

* * *

Adair stared up at Walker Manor with a sinking heart. It had clearly seen hard times. The exterior walls were dingy and worn with neglect, the garden badly overgrown. "I hope Edwin's all right."

"That's why we're here, Darling," Wyatt reminded his husband, wrapping an arm around his waist to offer his support.

Amber Rose's arm was looped through Adair's and she stretched up to kiss his cheek. "I may not have liked him at one time, but he's as much of a survivor as the rest of us."

"I hope so." Adair glanced over his shoulder at their son and daughter, offering a reassuring smile that he didn't feel.

Jeb smiled back, his right hand firmly clasping Alexius' left one. Together, they climbed the pitted front steps. With a raised eyebrow, Adair noticed the sign that hung beside the tarnished bell pull: _'Bell out of order. Please knock.'_. When Wyatt reached out to do exactly that, Adair caught his hand. "Darling?"

"It's a trick," he explained, flipping the sign over. The other side read, _'Foes will knock. Friends will ring.'_ "An old Walker tradition for times of trouble."

Nodding, Wyatt reached for the bell pull. After a moment, a young girl answered the door, gazing curiously at them. She was about the same age as Alexius, auburn hair pulled back into a ponytail and brown eyes far too solemn for one so young. "Yes?"

"Is Edwin home?" Adair asked, his heart pounding in his chest as he waited for the answer.

The girl eyed him suspiciously. "Who wants to know?"

"Adair Walker, his brother," he replied, sadly not surprised that she would be wary.

She narrowed her brown eyes at him. "Prove it."

Adair reached into his pocket for the signet ring he used to use as the warehouse manager. "I have this. Is it proof enough?"

"For now." She nodded and stepped back to let them in. "I'll go tell Father you're here."

"Father?" he repeated in surprise, but she'd darted away the moment they'd started entering.

The last one in, Jeb, closed the door behind him just as the girl returned. "Follow me, please."

"Of course." Adair followed the girl who was apparently his niece. Around them, the Manor was dark, most of the doors closed and all of the furniture shrouded with sheets.

They entered the sitting room to find Edwin waiting for them with a tall, beautiful woman by his side. She had auburn hair and brown eyes, one hand resting on the girl's shoulders. When he saw Adair, Edwin's face lit up with a bright smile, erasing the lines of worry and stress that had appeared around his eyes and mouth. "Adair! You're alive!"

"Yes, contrary to the rumors that must have been circulating." The two brothers embraced warmly. "It was the only way to keep Zero from hunting me and Jeb."

Edwin pulled back, wiping quickly at his eyes. "New rumors began circulating not long after the double eclipse that you were, in fact, alive and I didn't know which to believe any more. I hoped you'd come see me."

"Az told us the company had continued to ship all throughout the Sorceress' reign, so _of course_ I had to come," Adair retorted as his wife and husband moved to either side of him, wrapping their arms around his waist.

Not surprisingly, Edwin's face took on a guarded expression and he moved back toward the woman and child. "Azkadellia?"

"She was even more of a victim than the O.Z., Edwin," Amber Rose replied, brown eyes flashing at the suspicion in her brother-in-law's face. "The Sorceress may have _looked_ like Azkadee, but it wasn't _really_ her doing all the horrible things."

Edwin gazed at Amber Rose for a long moment, his expression unreadable. "It's going to be awhile before I believe that as firmly as you do, Amber Rose."

"Amber Rose?" The woman next to Edwin stared at the Royal Advisor as if she'd seen a ghost.

The dark-haired woman stared at the redhead for a long moment before a hesitant smile curled her lips. "Leona?"

"Oh, gods, it's been ages!" Much to everyone's surprise, the two women rushed into each other's arms, hugging tightly. "I lost touch with you after school, but I certainly heard plenty about you in the news!"

Adair glanced at Wyatt, wondering if he was as puzzled. Much to the brunette's surprise, the blond was shaking his head wryly. "Do you know what's going on, Love?"

"I believe they were classmates at one time," Wyatt replied quietly. "And possibly more than that as well."

By then, the two women had finished their reunion and Leona indicated the little girl. "This is our daughter, Adora Walker."

"Hello, Adora." Amber Rose crouched so she could properly shake the little girl's hand. "I'm Amber Rose Cain-Walker."

As the two talked, Adair glanced at his brother with a raised eyebrow. Edwin looked embarrassed as he replied, "Since you'd disappeared, we decided to name her in your honor."

"Thank you." Adair cleared his throat, and then turned to gesture his own children forward. "You remember Jeb, of course."

Jeb smiled as he offered his hand. "It's been a long time, Uncle Edwin."

"Good gods, it has," Edwin agreed, staring at his nephew with wide eyes, obviously surprised at how much the younger man had grown in the annuals since they'd last seen each other. Then he noticed Alexius half-hiding behind her half-brother. "And who is this charming young lady?"

She glanced up at Adair questioningly and he nodded for her to go ahead and introduce herself. "I'm Alexius Walker, Uncle Edwin."

"A niece?" Edwin was astonished even as he shook her hand. "How old are you?"

Smiling shyly, she replied, "Thirteen annuals."

"Not quite thirteen, yet, Allie," Amber Rose corrected gently, turning to her daughter with a fondly indulgent smile.

Adora peered around Amber Rose at her cousin, brown eyes glinting with triumph. "I _am_ thirteen annuals."

Alexius scowled at the other girl, folding her arms across her chest. "I _will_ be thirteen in two weeks, so there."

"That's enough, girls," Adair interrupted firmly before the two could escalate their little argument into something larger. Thank goodness for those annuals working at the Cain Ranch and having to deal with teenage girls and their spats! "We're going to have a little party to celebrate Allie's birthday and I'd be honored if you three would join us for the celebration."

"That'd be wonderful," Edwin answered before his wife or daughter could respond. "Where will it be held?"

Wyatt spoke for the first time since they'd entered. "At the palace, of course."

* * *

"You look awfully satisfied with yourself, Sweetheart," Wyatt commented the evening after Alexius' birthday party.

Amber Rose smiled as she brushed her hair. "I think the party went rather well today."

"If you don't count the fact that Edwin, Leona, Howard, and Roberta stayed far away from Az at first," Adair replied, taking the brush from her.

She sighed happily as he began to brush her hair for her. "Once they saw that the Princess was _very_ different from the Sorceress, they didn't stay so far away."

"She has a good point," Wyatt commented, picking up a comb to untangle Adair's hair.

Their husband sighed softly. "It's the 'at first' part that's troubling me."

"It's troubling all of us, Darling," the ex-Tin Man reminded him, squeezing his shoulder briefly before continuing with his self-appointed task.

In an effort to distract her husbands, who were liable to get disheartened if she let them, Amber Rose asked, "Did you notice who _didn't_ stay away from Azkadee?"

"You mean apart from DG?" Wyatt asked dryly, pulling the comb through Adair's hair one last time before setting it down.

Adair looked from one to the other, confused. "Who are you talking about?"

"Jeb," Amber Rose told him, glancing at Wyatt briefly. "He hardly left her side the entire time."

The blond reached up to press his palm to the brunette's forehead. "Should we start worrying now, Darling?"

"What are you talking about, Wyatt?" The Royal Advisor frowned with puzzlement as Adair swatted Wyatt's hand away.

Smiling faintly, Wyatt wrapped his arm around Adair's waist and kissed him softly. "I once told Adair I'd worry if _I_ noticed something that _he_ hadn't."

"You've nothing to worry about, Love," Adair assured his husband, returning the soft kiss with a smile. "I was focused more on the fact that Allie and 'Dora were getting along better than I'd expected them to."

Amber Rose got up and slipped an arm around each of them. "We don't have anything to worry about. Everything will work out."

"With a lot of hard work," Adair added, kissing Amber Rose softly.

Wyatt kissed her in turn. "From all of us."

"Exactly." They simply stood and embraced each other for a long moment, cherishing this moment of togetherness after so many annuals apart. _I hope we have many more annuals left of this journey together. I don't want to part ways again so soon after finding them again..._


End file.
